Palestinians besieged in West Bank village of Qusra fear Israeli settlers will seize their homes

Palestinians in the West Bank village of Qusra fear their homes will be seized by Israeli settlers, who have maintained a blockade on three houses for most of the week. Qusai Abu Rida watched from his home as settlers moved to a valley below, remaining close enough to threaten a takeover after Israeli army positions were established around the besieged homes.

The standoff entered a new phase Friday as activists supporting the Palestinians marched toward the homes to resupply dwindling food and water. However, Abu Rida expressed weariness with the recurring pattern of Israeli forces removing settlers, only for them to return after troops withdraw. Ziv Stahl of the Israeli rights group Yesh Din described the situation as a "cat and mouse" game, stating it is a matter of "will" rather than capability.

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I just don't know when this will end.

The siege in Qusra is the latest incident in escalating settler violence across the occupied West Bank. The international community largely considers Israeli settlements illegal. Both the Israeli military and police referred questions about the Qusra situation to each other. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has approved over 100 new settlements, while extremist settlers frequently clash with Palestinians, damaging homes and vehicles.

Rights groups and Palestinians argue that government policies hinder efforts to restrain settlers, who face rare punishment for attacks. The situation in Qusra began Sunday when dozens of settlers blocked the entrances to the three houses, preventing occupants from leaving. Israeli troops intervened multiple times.

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It's like a kids' game, like cat and mouse. It's clearly not a matter of capability but of will.