Netanyahu condemns settler violence as West Bank village remains under siege

Escalation in Qusra

Dozens of Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Qusra in the northern occupied West Bank on Saturday, residents and the military said, after nearly three weeks of tension in the area. The attack drew rare condemnation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called the violence "criminal acts of violence" committed by "a handful of rioters" in Qusra and the nearby village of Jalud.

Saturday's events were the latest in an escalating campaign of settler violence that has trapped Palestinian families in their homes, cut off basic supplies, and drawn unusually strong criticism from the US ambassador to Israel.

The Attack

Qusra resident Yussef Abdul Kareem Hassan told AFP that a handful of villagers were doing work on a house on Saturday when they were approached by a small group of settlers. The settlers then called for backup and returned with dozens more, Hassan said, surrounding the Palestinians inside the house and throwing stones.

According to Al Jazeera, at least four Palestinians were trapped inside a home in Qusra on Saturday, while settlers set fire to nearby land. Coordination was under way to allow ambulances to reach the area and evacuate one injured person.

The Israeli military said soldiers and border police were dispatched following reports of Israeli rioters and violent clashes, including stone-hurling toward Palestinians. The military statement said security forces identified dozens of rioters barricaded inside a Palestinian home while residents were inside, and that forces worked to remove the settlers, separate the groups, and confiscate vehicles suspected of being used in the incident. The statement said the military was "aware of reports of Palestinian injuries" and that the vehicles would be used as evidence in a police investigation.

In nearby Jalud, masked settlers attacked and injured a Palestinian woman and members of an NBC News team that had been interviewing her, NBC News reported. The attack occurred as the crew was walking toward the house of Aida Ahmed Abdullah, who had been driven out of her home by settlers. A car with Israeli license plates drove up the hill, and at least four masked men jumped out, hitting the woman and the crew with sticks and throwing rocks. NBC correspondent Matt Bradley was hit twice in the arm and treated at a clinic; three other team members were also injured. Abdullah, 51, was taken to hospital by the Red Crescent; her injuries were not life-threatening, according to an Israeli military statement.

The Siege

The Saturday attack came after weeks of tension in the area. Since August 9, settlers have besieged three Palestinian homes in the Ras al-Ain area of Qusra, cutting access to water, electricity, and other essential supplies, according to Al Jazeera. One resident, Loui Abu Raideh, described the situation as "a nightmare," saying residents cannot sleep and must keep watching security cameras because settlers can attack at any time. Raideh said residents have to coordinate with the mayor of Qusra to get food and supplies, with approval taking three to four days.

Israeli forces have declared the area a closed military zone and placed a gate at the main entrance of Qusra, restricting Palestinian movement. On Wednesday, the military erected three new roadblocks encircling the top of the Ras al-Ain hill, disconnecting homes from the area below.

The siege has drawn international attention, partly because one of the homes belongs to Loui Abu Ridi, a Palestinian American from Ohio. According to The Intercept, settlers first attacked Abu Ridi's home in January, vandalizing the property and damaging water and electricity. In early August, settlers arrived while workers were installing a fence; when Abu Ridi's family called Israeli police for protection, soldiers who arrived arrested the workers while the settlers moved freely, according to security camera footage reviewed by The Intercept. A military spokesperson said soldiers had been instructed that villagers could remain in their residences, and that the conduct seen in the video was "inconsistent with the standards expected of IDF soldiers."

Official Reactions

Prime Minister Netanyahu's condemnation of the Saturday attack was notable for its rarity. "I strongly condemn the criminal acts of violence committed in the villages of Qusra and Jalud by a handful of rioters who are violating the law, causing a grave injustice to the law-abiding Jewish community, interfering with the IDF in carrying out its missions, and harming Israel's standing in the world," he said in a statement. President Isaac Herzog also condemned the attack, and Israel's Foreign Ministry called the violence "a disgrace," as reported by The Hindu.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, typically considered an ally of Israel's settler movement, has been unusually critical of the siege. He called the actions against the Abu Ridi home "a horrific act of terror" and "thuggish behaviour," and said those behind the siege could face US sanctions because an American citizen was involved. Huckabee also said the US Embassy was "very involved" and that "the IDF and Israel Police have gone at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this." He posted video footage appearing to show Israeli security vehicles driving into the area.

The UN Human Rights Office called on Israeli authorities to act "immediately" against the settlers, saying "These criminal actions by the settlers, supported or acquiesced to by Israel, the occupying power, are making life unbearable for these Palestinian families, and are clearly aimed at forcing them to leave their homes and land." EU foreign policy spokesperson Anitta Hipper called on Israel to take "concrete action to prevent settler violence."

Broader Context

The events in Qusra are part of a wider pattern of settler violence in the West Bank, which has intensified since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023. According to an AFP tally based on Palestinian Health Ministry data, Israeli forces or settlers have killed at least 1,103 Palestinians in the West Bank since then. Israeli figures show at least 48 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations in the same period.

Human Rights Watch says attacks by settlers have risen across the West Bank since 2022, and reported in July that escalating settler attacks had led to 107 Palestinian communities being partially or fully displaced since January 2023. The UN human rights office said settler violence has increased in Qusra since November 2025.

More than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements in the West Bank, which are illegal under international law, among some three million Palestinians. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. Palestinians seek the territory as part of a future state, while many settlers and some members of Netanyahu's government claim the area should belong to Israel, citing historical, religious, and security reasons.

Netanyahu's government has been accused by Palestinians and some in the Israeli opposition of turning a blind eye to settler attacks. Israeli government officials tend to describe the violence as the actions of a few fringe youth acting outside the law.

As of Thursday, Palestinian families remained trapped in their homes in Qusra for an 11th day, with 13 people unable to leave. Water and electricity were cut off for a time, and internet access had not worked since the start of the week. Although the Israeli army has been deployed, it has not physically removed the settlers, who remain outside the homes. The military said it would continue "to operate in the areas of Qusra and Jalud to prevent further disturbances and restore order in the area."