Settler siege in West Bank draws rare US rebuke

QUSRA, Palestinian Territories

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Aug. 13 denounced a five-day siege of Palestinian homes by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank town of Qusra as a “horrific act of terror.”

Dozens of settlers surrounded three homes on the outskirts of the town beginning on Aug. 9, blocking occupants from leaving and cutting water and electricity supplies, according to the families.

“Actions by those who carried out this horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family are disgusting,” Huckabee said.

He added that the U.S. Embassy was coordinating with the Israeli military and police.

The Israeli military described the siege as “illegal, reprehensible and unacceptable” and declared Qusra a closed military zone on Aug. 11.

Settlers returned the following day, blocked a road with rocks and clashed with soldiers, according to footage recorded by residents.

The military said on Aug. 13 that troops had dismantled two unauthorized outposts in Qusra and a nearby village, detained one Israeli and deployed additional forces to the area.

Qusra Mayor Abdel Azim Wadi said the settlers remained elsewhere in the village after the outposts were removed. Families evacuated during the military operation had not returned to their homes as of Aug. 13, residents said.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry separately accused Israeli authorities of using settler violence to advance forced displacement and the annexation of the West Bank. It called for international intervention and sanctions against those carrying out or supporting the attacks.

The U.N. humanitarian office said in April that Qusra had recorded 27 settler attacks causing casualties or property damage in 2026, the highest number documented in any single West Bank community at that point.

One Palestinian had been killed and eight others wounded in those attacks.