Israel sends more troops to West Bank village besieged by settlers
Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Israel has deployed additional troops to the West Bank village of Qusra, where settlers have trapped Palestinian families in their homes.
- Palestinians allege the siege aims to forcibly displace them, while settlers have cut off the families' water and electricity.
- The UN reports 15 Palestinians, including children, are trapped without basic necessities, and the US Ambassador has condemned the settlers' actions as criminal.
The Israeli military has dispatched more troops to the West Bank village of Qusra, where Palestinian families have been confined to their homes for days by Jewish settlers. The Palestinians assert that this siege is a deliberate attempt to displace them from their land. The settlers began the blockade over the weekend, cutting off access roads and establishing a presence in the front yards of three Palestinian homes, subsequently severing their electricity and water supplies.
We appeal to government institutions and to every free and honorable person to help us secure food and medicine.
While the Israeli military states it is working to disperse the settlers, video evidence emerged showing Israeli soldiers participating in morning prayers with the settlers. The military has acknowledged this and stated it is taking disciplinary action against any personnel involved. This comes after an earlier attempt by troops to remove the settlers using tear gas proved unsuccessful. The additional forces are tasked with "defensive missions and patrols" to maintain security.
The actions of those doing this to this family's home is criminal.
The United Nations has highlighted the dire situation, reporting that approximately 15 Palestinians, including two children, are trapped inside their homes in a state of terror. They are unable to attend to their basic needs and lack access to essential utilities like water and electricity.
to carry out defensive missions and patrols in the area to maintain security and protect the area.
The Israeli military faces mounting pressure to curb unauthorized land seizures by settlers, who have been emboldened by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government and its expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank. The families under siege report a lack of food and medicine, as well as property damage, stone-throwing, and verbal abuse from the settlers. Qusay Abu Reeda, a Palestinian-American trapped with his family, appealed for help in securing essential supplies. The U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, condemned the settlers' actions as "criminal" and confirmed that the Israeli military and police were dispatched at the U.S.'s request to remove the individuals involved.
being trapped inside their homes in a state of terror, unable to attend to their basic needs and without access to water or electricity.
Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.