US wants Netanyahu to condemn Jewish settler siege; envoy calls it act of terror

Washington is pressing Benjamin Netanyahu to condemn settlers accused of besieging Palestinian homes in Qusra. The standoff has intensified scrutiny of settler violence and poses a political test for the Israeli prime minister.

In Short

• US urges Netanyahu to condemn settlers besieging Palestinian homes in West Bank
• Settlers cut off water, electricity, trapping families in Qusra village
• Israeli military removed settler tent, deployed troops to maintain security

The United States is pressing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to openly condemn Jewish settlers accused of besieging Palestinian families inside their homes in the occupied West Bank, according to Reuters. Some of residents of the village of Qusra are reportedly trapped after settlers cut off access to water and electricity and surrounded several homes.

US and Israeli officials told Reuters that Washington wants Netanyahu to speak out against the settlers' actions. The issue has gained attention in Washington after officials learnt that one of the homes under siege belongs to a Palestinian-American.

The situation has also drawn criticism from US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, a strong supporter of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Huckabee described the settlers involved in the siege of a Palestinian home as "Israeli terrorists" in a statement on Thursday.

Netanyahu has not commented on the situation in Qusra.

PALESTINIAN FAMILIES REMAIN TRAPPED

Settlers have reportedly surrounded three Palestinian homes in Qusra for nearly a week, leaving residents unable to freely enter or leave the area. Aysha Hassan, a Palestinian resident living in one of the besieged homes, told Reuters by phone that residents remain frightened and isolated.

"We are very afraid," Hassan told Reuters.

"There is nothing new. It's been like this for six days...the settlers are still here."

Hassan said she had seen settlers gathered below her home during the early hours of the morning. She also shared videos with Reuters that showed groups of settlers moving around near the homes.

The residents received some assistance on Friday, including food, bottled water and canned goods brought by foreign and Israeli activists. However, Hassan said Israeli soldiers prevented the activists from delivering the supplies directly to the families, saying the area had been designated a closed military zone.

The activists said soldiers told them the military would inspect the aid before taking it to the trapped residents.

ISRAELI MILITARY REMOVES SETTLER TENT

The United Nations has said about 15 Palestinians, including two children, were trapped inside their homes without running water or electricity.

Video obtained by Reuters showed several settlers outside one of the homes near a blue tent. One person appeared to throw stones towards the nearby village, while another arrived carrying chairs. Israeli military vehicles and soldiers later appeared at the location. The footage showed the tent lying collapsed on the ground.

The Israel Defense Forces said Israeli civilians had erected the tent in Qusra and that soldiers moved in to remove it while protecting local residents.

"Israeli civilians erected a tent in the Qusra area, and IDF soldiers operated to remove it while protecting the local residents," the military said in a statement.

It followed the deployment of dozens of Israeli troops into Qusra on Thursday, with soldiers taking control of several homes in the village as part of what the military described as efforts to protect residents and maintain security.

SETTLER VIOLENCE FUELS POLITICAL PRESSURE

The confrontation has added to concerns over rising settler violence in the West Bank, which has increased during the three years since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel.

For Netanyahu, publicly condemning settlers could carry political risks. His government relies on support from right-wing parties and settler constituencies, making the issue particularly sensitive ahead of Israel’s next election.

Opinion polls indicate Netanyahu could face a difficult contest, while his government continues to face scrutiny over the security failures surrounding the October 7, 2023 attacks.

The pressure from Washington therefore places Netanyahu in a politically difficult position: responding to US concerns could risk angering parts of his domestic support base, while failing to act could deepen criticism over settler violence.

SETTLER EXPANSION IN THE WEST BANK

Netanyahu's government is the most right-wing in Israel's history and has backed a rapid expansion of Jewish settlements and outposts in the occupied West Bank. The territory was captured by Israel during the 1967 war and remains at the centre of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinians seek the West Bank as part of a future independent state.

Rights groups say the events in Qusra are linked to broader efforts by settlers to take control of Palestinian-owned land around the village and neighbouring Jalud. According to those groups, settlers have been seeking to establish a continuous area between the two communities and connect it with settler outposts further south and larger settlements to the west.

The situation has also raised questions about the conduct of Israeli personnel in the area. Videos recorded earlier in the week showed several Israeli men wearing green military-style clothing joining settlers for morning prayers inside the tent. The Israeli military said it was taking disciplinary action against any personnel involved. The Israeli army has said its forces have been deployed in Qusra since Thursday morning to protect residents and maintain security.

The West Bank is home to around three million Palestinians and about 500,000 Israeli settlers. According to Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now, the territory has around 146 settlements and approximately 390 smaller outposts.

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With inputs from agencies