For five nights, Israeli settlers surrounded three Palestinian homes on the outskirts of the town of Qusra in the West Bank, preventing the families from leaving safely as their food and water supplies dwindled.

US Response

US Ambassador Mike Huckabee referred to the settlers as ‘terrorists’ — a word American officials usually reserve for Palestinian militants. Huckabee condemned the rising violence, stating that ‘actions by those who carried out this horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family are disgusting.’

The US Embassy has been coordinating with the Israeli military and police to address the situation. The Israeli military has intervened multiple times, but the settlers keep returning. Rights groups have long accused Israeli forces of turning a blind eye to settler violence or of intervening to protect the settlers.

Settler Violence

Settler violence has surged in recent years, with the UN humanitarian office recording more settler attacks in Qusra than in any other West Bank community in 2026. A 25-year-old resident was shot and killed by an off-duty Israeli reservist in March, and eight others have been wounded in the attacks.

Palestinian officials have reported 1,476 attacks by Israeli settlers in 2026, including several instances in which settlers seized Palestinian homes and property. The Israeli military says it works to maintain law and order in the territory, and Israeli Cabinet ministers have blamed the attacks on a small group of young extremists acting outside the law.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.