The violent Israeli nomads who defy law and order in the name of God

Loui Ridi, a 46-year-old U.S. citizen, lives in the village of Qusra in the West Bank. He left his Ohio home in August to defend his property against a group of young Israeli squatters known as Hilltop Youth. These nomadic settlers form a loose network that aims to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state and harass Palestinians into leaving the land they claim as their birthright.

The Hilltop Youth establish temporary lodgings on open land and later build homes and families, staking their claims with Israeli flags or Stars of David. Israeli activists have documented instances of harassment by Hilltop Youth, including close proximity, staring, spitting, stopping cars, and sitting on the hoods of vehicles. Some have even gone as far as entering homes and attacking livestock.

The group's actions have sparked international outrage, with a senior military official stating that hundreds of teenagers and young men make up the movement's violent core. Recent attacks on Palestinians and their property have led to condemnation from Israel's leaders. However, some argue that violence by settlers is rarely punished, and the broader settler movement largely keeps Hilltop Youth at arm's length.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned recent violence, but a government spokesman claims the issue has been exaggerated. President Trump lifted Biden-era sanctions against the Hilltop Youth earlier this year, sparking renewed scrutiny. Many Hilltop Youth view their mission as a divine cause, citing biblical passages that justify the conquest and inhabitation of the ancient lands of Israel.

Former members like Yehuda Cohen Tzedek describe how Hilltop Youth use nail guns to signal for help, emphasizing their belief in the group's righteousness.