Palestinian-American hoists US flag on home besieged by settlers
QUSRA: A Palestinian-American has raised the US flag on his home besieged by Israeli settlers, as the United States renewed criticism of the siege that has generated condemnation around the world.
In Qusra, a Palestinian-American man named Louai Abu Ridi has raised the US flag on his home, which has been under siege by Israeli settlers for over a week. Abu Ridi, who resides in Ohio, returned to his West Bank home on Monday after the settlers trapped his family inside and denied them access to food and supplies. He has requested the US embassy to continue advocating on his behalf, stating that the settlers are attempting to seize his property in the West Bank.
Abu Ridi expressed his frustration to AFP reporters, saying that the settlers have been entering his home without any repercussions, even shaking hands with them as if they were friends. He criticized the Israeli military for not taking action against the settlers, who continue to come into his home freely.
The siege is part of a broader pattern of harassment and violence against Palestinian residents by Israeli settlers in recent months. The right-wing government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing for increased support of settlements, ahead of the upcoming Oct 27 elections.
In a rare move, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has criticized the Qusra siege, stating that the United States is committed to defending its citizens. He called for severe consequences for anyone engaging in "terrorist activity." Huckabee emphasized the unfairness to Palestinian families who own their homes and have the right to live without fear. He also condemned the extremist settlers, warning that their actions would have dire consequences.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
