Netanyahu condemns settler attack in flashpoint West Bank village

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly condemned the violent settler attack on the Palestinian village of Qusra in the northern West Bank. In a statement, he called the action by a "handful of rioters" as causing "a grave injustice to the law-abiding Jewish community" and harming Israel's standing in the world. The attack occurred after nearly three weeks of escalating tensions, during which settlers blocked supplies from reaching Palestinian homes, trapping residents inside.

This incident, which included settlers throwing stones at residents and barricading themselves inside a house, drew rare condemnation from Netanyahu, who emphasized that the settlers' actions violated the law and interfered with the IDF's operations. The Israeli military deployed forces to Qusra following reports of the violence, removing the settlers from the house and investigating the incident.

The violence by Israeli settlers towards Palestinians in the West Bank has been ongoing, with recent months seeing a surge in attacks. Over 1,100 Palestinians, including both militants and civilians, have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023.