What we know about Israeli settlers' siege on Palestinian homes in Qusra

For nearly a week, Israeli settlers, with the military presence visible, have surrounded Palestinian households in the West Bank village of Qusra, aiming to expel them from their homes and seize the properties. The West Bank has recently witnessed a surge in settler aggression following the October 7, 2023 attacks. While the majority of this violence remains unreported, the Qusra incident is notable enough to draw international condemnation, even from allies.

Qusra is located south of the major Palestinian city of Nablus. The villages surrounding Nablus are particularly affected by settler violence due to the concentration of extremist settlements like Shiloh, Eli, and Yitzhar. Qusra is situated in Area B, where Israel is legally responsible for military control, while the Palestinian Authority holds jurisdiction over civil matters.

Settler violence typically targets Area C, where Israel exercises complete authority, but it is now spreading to Areas B and A, where the Palestinian Authority is supposed to govern. On Sunday, settlers erected an outpost near the village outskirts, preventing the families' departure and initiating the siege to compel residents to vacate their homes so the settlers could occupy them.

In the ensuing days, residents reported dwindling supplies of food, water, and medicine. Israel's military has issued statements regarding the siege, but there have been no significant movements on the ground. Soldiers have entered the area on several occasions, sometimes confiscating materials, and claiming to have dismantled outposts; however, settlers have rebuilt the camps once the military withdrew.

The military has also faced accusations of siding with the settlers, as soldiers were seen praying with the group of young men besieging Qusra. Reports suggest that the army may be preparing for an operation, but Palestinians and Israeli activists are skeptical that future military actions will benefit the victims. The Palestinian Authority has called for international intervention to stop the violence, while Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa discussed the matter with Qusra's mayor on Friday.

Israel's government, however, has not commented on the attacks. On Friday, Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to transfer civilian law enforcement responsibility to the Israeli police in the West Bank, a move critics argue reinforces Israel's de facto annexation of the territory. Israeli politicians have largely responded to the crisis from the left.

Far-left politician Ofer Cassif stated on Friday that forces barred him from reaching Qusra and that besieged families were denied essential supplies and medicine. His party, Hadash-Ta'al, released a statement calling the situation "exactly what apartheid looks like" and "exactly what occupation looks like." The US, Israel's staunch ally, has expressed rare criticism of the siege.

US Ambassador Mike Huckabee referred to the perpetrators as "Israeli terrorists" on Thursday. However, he quickly reverted to supporting the settlement project, asserting that settlers are "a very small minority who do great damage to Palestinian families and to Israel." He praised Yisrael Gantz, a settler leader advocating for the implementation of Israeli law in the West Bank, and reported that the US is urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly condemn the siege.