Israeli military deploys reinforcements to Qusra after failed settler dispersal
The Israeli army has sent an additional infantry battalion to the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, south of Nablus, after an earlier intervention failed to remove settlers who have cut off water and power to two Palestinian families since Sunday.
The Israeli military announced the deployment of additional troops to the occupied West Bank village of Qusra after failing to dislodge Israeli settlers who have besieged two Palestinian families since Sunday. The Abu Ridi and Hassan families remain trapped in their homes with water and power supplies cut off and low food stocks. An earlier attempt by Israeli security forces to remove the settlers on Wednesday resulted in confrontations, the use of tear gas and stun grenades, and ultimately failed to force the settlers away.
Videos shared from Qusra show a dozen Israeli security vehicles, including a bulldozer, and a long line of security forces on the road to the village, which remains a closed military zone. Local media reports indicate that a nearby Israeli settler outpost was demolished. Qusay Abu Ridi, one of the trapped residents, stated that his house was attacked again overnight and that some settlers remained in the area, hiding from the army.
The situation escalated on Wednesday when Israeli soldiers clashed with approximately 50 to 60 settlers. Palestinian security camera footage showed confrontations between Israeli soldiers and border police, with security forces using tear gas and stun grenades. In other footage, Israeli forces appear to have confiscated the canopy under which the settlers were sheltering, while leaving their other equipment. The Israeli military has promised disciplinary action against soldiers who were seen praying with the settlers during an earlier intervention.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the settlers' actions as "thuggish behavior" and "disgusting," describing them as "Israeli terrorists" and urging Israel to remove them. The US embassy had previously asked Israel to remove the settlers, following complaints from Qusay Abu Ridi’s brother, a Palestinian-American businessman. The Abu Ridi and Hassan families have been trapped in their homes with water and power cut off.
The incident highlights the broader pattern of settler violence in the region. The Palestinian village mayor, Abdel Azim Wadi, told the BBC that local residents had seen "a clear and sustained pattern of targeting Qusra." Last month a newly completed mosque was set on fire with graffiti in Hebrew sprayed nearby. According to the UN's figures, 76 Palestinians – including 18 children - have been killed in the West Bank this year, by Israeli forces or settlers. Since January 2023, 127 Palestinian communities in the West Bank have experienced full or partial displacement, including 47 that have been entirely displaced, affecting more than 6,390 Palestinians.
