Netanyahu 'strongly condemns' Israeli settler raid on Palestinian village

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a strong condemnation of an incursion by Israeli settlers into the Palestinian village of Qusra in the occupied West Bank. The prime minister denounced the actions as "criminal violence" and stated that the perpetrators were a handful of troublemakers who violate the law.

Netanyahu's statement, released through his official channels, emphasized that such acts harm the population of law-abiding settlers, hinder the missions of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and damage Israel's international reputation. He expressed confidence that the IDF, Shin Bet internal security agency, and police are conducting a thorough investigation and expects the culprits to be arrested and brought to justice swiftly.

“

I strongly condemn the criminal acts of violence committed in the villages of Qusra and Jalud by a handful of troublemakers who violate the law, cause enormous injustice to the law-abiding settler population, hinder the missions of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and harm Israel's reputation in the world.

The incident involved dozens of Israeli settlers who reportedly entered Qusra and barricaded themselves inside a Palestinian home. The Israeli army intervened to remove the settlers and quell clashes with local residents, which resulted in several Palestinians sustaining injuries. The army also reported confiscating several vehicles suspected of being used by the settlers to reach the village, handing them over to the police as evidence for the ongoing investigation.

These events unfold while settlers have maintained a 21-day siege on three Palestinian homes in Qusra, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. The prime minister's strong denunciation aims to distance the government from the settlers' actions and reassure international observers, while also acknowledging the need for law enforcement to address the violence.

“

The IDF, the Shin Bet, and the Police are conducting a thorough investigation on the ground, and I expect law enforcement to arrest the troublemakers and bring them to justice as soon as possible.