US Ambassador Condemns Settlers' Siege of Palestinian Homes in the West Bank
The Israeli military claimed it was working to “protect residents” in the West Bank town of Qusra, following unprecedented criticism by US Ambassador Mike Huckabee on Thursday regarding the movements of settlers who have been besieging the homes of Palestinians for days, one of whom holds US citizenship.
This comes on the same day the Israeli state reopened a settlement in the northern West Bank, more than 20 years after its dismantling.
The siege began on Sunday when settlers erected a temporary tent near homes in the town of Qusra, south of Nablus in the northern West Bank. One of these homes belongs to a Palestinian who holds US citizenship, which prevented access to supplies in the area, according to residents.
Huckabee, one of the strongest supporters of the settlers, stated that “there is no justification for such thuggish behavior.” He added on the platform “X,” “The actions of those who carried out this terrifying intimidation campaign aimed at frightening and harassing this family are despicable.”
He clarified that Tel Aviv intervened in the matter at the request of Washington.
On Wednesday, the Israeli military announced that it had sent troops to the area, which it declared a “closed military zone,” and removed a tent where settlers had been staying. However, residents reported that the settlers remained on the premises with blankets.
Yesterday, the military stated that it sent troops again overnight to the area, dismantling two settler gatherings near the besieged homes and arresting one Israeli. It noted that these forces remained “to protect residents and maintain security.”
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory stated that “these criminal acts committed by settlers with the support of Israel, the occupying Power, or with its tacit consent, make life unbearable for these Palestinian families and clearly aim to force them to leave their homes and lands.”
On the same day, the Ganaim settlement in the northern West Bank was reopened at an event attended by Defense Minister Israel Katz and several officials.
Ganaim is one of four settlements evacuated by the Israeli state as part of the “Disengagement Plan” launched by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in 2005, due to its isolated location in the northern West Bank among numerous Palestinian cities and villages.
However, the tenure of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, the most right-wing in Israel’s history, has witnessed a surge in settlement expansion, including the re-establishment of Ganaim, Sanoor, Homesh, and Kadim—settlements that were evacuated in 2005.
Speaking during the reopening of the settlement, Katz said, “This is Israeli land. Here, we will remain forever.”
Dozens of families are preparing to reside in several ready-made homes.
The government gave the green light to rebuild the settlement as part of its effort to win the support of its hard-right base ahead of the legislative elections scheduled for October 27.
