Ex-German ambassador urges measures against Israel over settlements

On Thursday, Israeli forces intervened to disperse settlers who had been besieging Palestinian homes in the village of Qusra, south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank. This move came following strong criticism from the US, specifically US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who denounced the settlers' actions as "thuggish" and "horrible".

The siege has isolated Palestinian residents, cutting off their access to food and supplies. The US ambassador emphasized that Israel acted at the request of the United States, its key ally. The Israeli military reported sending forces to the area and dismantling two outposts, detaining one Israeli settler. Despite the ongoing siege, witnesses reported that settlers remained in the area.

The mayor of Qusra, Abdel Azim Wadi, stated that the Israeli military had issued temporary eviction orders for the besieged homes. This development follows the reopening of another settlement in the northern West Bank, which had been dismantled over two decades ago. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government is attempting to appeal to its hard-right base before the upcoming October 27 elections.

The US criticism of the siege is particularly notable, as Huckabee, an evangelical Christian who has previously supported settlers, highlights the complexity of the situation. The ongoing conflict between Israeli settlers and Palestinians has intensified since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. Over 500,000 Israelis reside in settlements in the West Bank, a status deemed illegal under international law, amid a population of three million Palestinians in the territory.