US Ambassador Huckabee Calls Settler Siege Horrific Act of Terror

The U.S. Ambassador to Israel condemned a days-long siege by Israeli settlers targeting a Palestinian American family’s home in the occupied West Bank, describing the incident as a horrific act of terror according to AP News.

U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee Condemns Siege of Qusra Home

U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee shared the remarks in a post on X, marking an unusually sharp rebuke of settler violence in the region. According to local officials and family members, settlers began gathering around three houses in the village of Qusra, south of Nablus, starting Sunday. A group including up to dozens of men threw stones, attempted to bring down a nearby stone wall, and prevented occupants from leaving amid dwindling supplies. Homeowner Loui Ridi, speaking by phone from Ohio, stated that his brother and nephew had been holed up inside the property to defend it without access to food or water for several days. On Thursday morning, Ridi’s brother reported that he and his teenage son were evacuated by the Israeli military.

Israeli Military Dismantles Illegal Outposts in Qusra

The Israeli military stated that its troops dismantled two illegal outposts on the outskirts of Qusra and a nearby village, detained one Israeli, and surged additional soldiers to the area to carry out defensive missions and patrols. Qusra Mayor Abdel Azim Wadi said that Israeli forces evacuated seven homes in total to take positions in the village, though he noted that the settlers remained in other parts of the village. NPR reported that journalists on the outskirts of Qusra observed closed roads into the village, while Israeli police did not immediately respond to questions regarding whether detained individuals had been arrested.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Government Faces Accusations

Huckabee, noted as a longtime ally of Israel’s settler movement who has previously expressed support for Israeli control over the occupied West Bank while condemning settler violence, stated that the embassy had been coordinating with the Israeli military and police. Palestinians and the Israeli opposition have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-line government of turning a blind eye to attacks by settlers against Palestinians during a recent surge in clashes.