Israeli settlers have encircled the Palestinian village of Kusra near Nablus, cutting off its residents from basic necessities such as food, water, and electricity. The situation escalated over the weekend, with settlers blocking access to the village and preventing humanitarian aid from reaching its inhabitants. Israeli troops intervened on Wednesday, remaining on the scene, while the settlers continue to block entry and exit routes. The encirclement has left two Palestinian families in dire conditions. According to reports, these families have been without supplies for days. A member of one family, Kusay Abu Rida, posted on Facebook stating that the situation is critical, emphasizing that the families live in their own homes on their own land and merely seek the right to safe and dignified living. She described the isolation and fear felt by her community, noting that settlers have thrown stones and harassed them. Settlers attempted to break into one of the houses on Sunday evening, using rocks to block the road leading to the village. Despite the presence of Israeli forces, which monitor the area, the settlers continued their actions. Video footage obtained by Reuters shows the confrontation, with settlers and Israeli soldiers standing together. On Monday, the settlers blocked journalists from accessing the site, and the first vehicle reached the village only on Tuesday evening, when a Palestinian medical team evacuated a child and delivered some food to the families. The Israeli military has condemned the encirclement of Palestinian homes as illegal and unacceptable. It stated that it will maintain its presence in the area and urged the residents to remain in their homes. However, the settlers have not withdrawn, and Kusay Abu Rida told AFP that although the military has left, the settlers still surround the village. The military has also announced plans to deploy additional troops, though no specific timeframe has been given. Local authorities describe the encirclement as a clear and enforced method of intimidation. In July, settlers burned a new mosque in the village and defaced it with Hebrew graffiti. Similarly, they had previously surrounded homes in the nearby village of Jalud, forcing residents to flee, after which the settlers moved in. These tactics are part of a broader pattern of settler violence aimed at displacing Palestinians from their lands. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, criticized the actions of those engaging in terror against families, calling them “despicable” and asserting there is no excuse for such behavior. He confirmed that the U.S. has supported efforts to address the issue. Meanwhile, international bodies have called for urgent action. Officials from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European External Action Service have requested immediate intervention against the settlers' activities. Human rights organizations highlight the severity of the situation. According to B’Tselem, a human rights group, Israel has forcibly displaced 64 Palestinian communities in the past three years, with over 4,800 people forced to leave their homes. The campaign of ethnic cleansing continues, with settlers expanding their control through violent means. General Eyal Zamir, head of the Israeli Defense Forces’ general staff, ordered the early return of a reserve battalion to reinforce security on the West Bank, indicating the growing concern over settler activity. Despite the military’s involvement, many Palestinians remain trapped in their homes, unable to escape due to ongoing threats. The situation underscores the deepening crisis on the West Bank, where settlers increasingly operate with impunity, backed by state support. As tensions mount, the international community faces mounting pressure to intervene before further displacement occurs.
★
Keep the news honest.
ObjectiveNews is reader-funded and ad-free — we show you the bias instead of hiding it. Support independent journalism for €4/month.
Become a Supporter
Slovenia
