Israeli forces have ordered families to evacuate homes in Qusra, a village near Nablus, following a siege by settlers, prompting a strong rebuke from the United States ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. Huckabee, in a post on X, characterized settlers as ‘Israeli terrorists’, a starkly critical statement following weeks of intensified Israeli military operations in the West Bank. The siege, which includes raids in Jenin, has seen Israeli settlers besiege three Palestinian homes, including one belonging to a dual US citizen, escalating tensions in the region.
Huckabee, a staunch ally of Israel and a vocal supporter of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, delivered these comments on Thursday, adding to a growing chorus of condemnation. He described the settlers’ actions as ‘horrific’ and urged the US embassy to ‘remove the Israeli terrorists doing this.’
He further stated that the US embassy has been ‘very involved & the IDF & Israel Police have gone at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this.’
Huckabee’s video posted on X showcased Israeli forces attempting to evacuate the families, but the settlers remained in the area, blocking access to aid for Palestinians in the refugee camp. Palestinians view the siege as an attempt to seize their land, with residents describing the situation as a result of the expansion of settlements and a lack of accountability for settlers.
The United Nations human rights agency and the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates have condemned the settler siege in Qusra, noting that it’s a clear attempt to force Palestinian families from their homes and communities.
According to Israeli media, the families have been cut off from water, electricity, and other critical supplies since Sunday, with residents describing the siege as a means of seizing land. The United States is now examining the situation, with the Israeli government attempting to manage the siege by removing settlers, but progress has been limited.
Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim reports from the scene of the siege, noting that Israeli forces initially tried to move the trapped families out of their homes while settlers remained outside. The families refused, not trusting that the Israeli forces would allow them back into their homes, and were eventually grouped together in one of the homes. Residents have observed Israeli soldiers appearing to pray alongside the settlers holding families under siege there.
However, Ibrahim stated that most Palestinians believe the Israeli army is ‘staging its response to the settler siege for the cameras,’ and expect the settlers will eventually return, even if they are removed now.
Abdel Azim Wadi, the mayor of Qusra, told Al Jazeera that the Israeli army is protecting and helping the settlers. “We saw them praying together, barbecuing together and dancing together,” he said. “They are not very interested in helping the besieged families.”
Historically, the Israeli government has openly funded and built settlements for Jews to live on Palestinian land. Over the past few years, the Israeli army has operated a hotline for settlers to call and report Palestinian construction in Area C, the 60 percent of the West Bank which is fully under Israeli military and civil control.
Several Israeli laws enable settlers to seize Palestinian land. Israel has declared about 26 percent of the West Bank’s territory as ‘state land,’ on which settlements can be built. Israel has used its own legal means to expropriate Palestinian property for public needs such as roads, settlements, and parks.
With elections scheduled for October, Netanyahu relies on settler and far-right support if he is to remain in power, meaning it is harder for his government to rein in settler violence or dismantle outposts even if it wishes to, analysts say.
On Friday, far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir pledged to ‘continue turning cities and settlements into eligible areas for firearms’ and urged Israelis to ‘go arm yourselves,’ after the attorney general recommended closing investigation files against members of his office.
Settlers are Israeli citizens who live on Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. The vast majority of the settlements have been built either entirely or partially on stolen, private Palestinian land. There are thought to be more than 700,000 settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Last month, Israel’s Security Cabinet approved a plan to establish 13 new settlements in the central occupied West Bank.
The number of new illegal settlements has soared recently, according to new data from the Palestinian Forum for Israeli Studies (MADAR). After averaging approximately eight outposts annually between 2012 and 2022, the number jumped to 32 in 2023, then 62 in 2024, reaching 86 in 2025.
This situation raises concerns about the potential for further violence and the impact on the Palestinian people.
Source: Al Jazeera
