IDF condemns settler outpost in West Bank siege but disciplinary action promised
Israeli security forces withdrew from the occupied West Bank village following clashes with settlers, leaving two families besieged in their homes with cut supplies.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has condemned the establishment of an unauthorized settler outpost in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, describing the seizure of Palestinian homes as illegal and reprehensible. The military announced that disciplinary action would be taken against security personnel documented at the scene, following a standoff that has seen two Palestinian families besieged in their residences since Sunday.
The Abu Ridi and Hassan families in Qusra, near Nablus, reported that settlers had cut off their water, power, and food supplies, effectively trapping seven residents, including two young girls, inside their homes. Security camera footage captured settlers tearing down a wall outside the Abu Ridi property and using the stones to block the road, preventing access for neighbours and emergency services. The families have appealed for assistance via social media, stating their food stocks were depleted and their situation critical.
Israeli security forces reportedly withdrew from the site on Wednesday after clashes with a crowd of extremist settlers, during which troops deployed tear gas and stun grenades. Approximately a dozen settlers remain at the outpost. The IDF stated that border police were working to evacuate civilians from the site and had confiscated a canopy used by the settlers, though other equipment was left behind.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from international bodies and human rights organisations. The UN’s Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Ramiz Alakbarov, told the Security Council that settler violence has reached unprecedented levels, with the West Bank at a breaking point. UN figures indicate that 76 Palestinians, including 18 children, have been killed in the West Bank this year, while over 3,800 Palestinians have been displaced in 2026 alone due to settler violence and evictions.
Israeli soldiers were initially filmed praying with settlers upon their arrival at the scene, and later blocked journalists from the left-leaning Haaretz newspaper from reaching the properties, citing a closed military zone. The order was not enforced on the settlers, who continued to block access. The village mayor reported a recent arson attack on a newly completed mosque in Qusra, describing a sustained pattern of targeting the community.
