‘No excuse for thuggish behaviour’: US envoy blasts Israeli settler siege in West Bank, calls it ‘terror’

On August 13, the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, strongly condemned a siege conducted by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, labeling it "terror" and "thuggish behavior." The settlers, who had been blockading Palestinian homes near Nablus since Sunday, had cut off access to food and other supplies for residents, including a US citizen. In response to criticism of the US reaction, Huckabee stated on X, "No excuse for such thuggish behaviour."

Huckabee, an evangelical Christian pastor known for his support of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, emphasized that the Israeli military's intervention in the matter was requested by the United States, its vital ally. He expressed his disgust at the settlers' actions, which aim to intimidate and harass the targeted family.

The Israeli military had initially removed a tent during the siege, but witnesses reported that the settlers defiantly remained at the site, accompanied by blankets. Later that day, the army announced the deployment of a new battalion to restore order.

Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers in the West Bank has surged, with over 500,000 Israelis residing in settlements in the territory, which are considered illegal under international law.