On August 4, Israeli settlers attacked the home of Palestinian American Loui Abu Ridi in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, and the family had called the police for help, but instead, the Israeli military arrested workers installing a fence around their property. According to security camera footage, the workers were detained while the settlers were allowed to roam freely on the property. The incident is cited as an example of the Israeli government's role in emboldening settler violence against Palestinians. Since then, the Abu Ridi family and other homes in Qusra have been under siege by settlers, with limited access to food and water.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-28,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Shortly before midnight on August 4, Israeli settlers arrived at the home of Loui Abu Ridi, a Palestinian American, in the village of Qusra in the occupied West Bank.
asserted
settlers → arrive → Bank
By then, settlers had already been attacking the house for months.
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settlers → attack → months
The Abu Ridi family had hired contractors to install an additional fence around their property, and when the settlers drove up to the home on an ATV on August 4, workers were busy erecting the fence.
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workers → hire → fence
“We called the Israeli police so they would protect us from them,” Qusai Abu Ridi, Loui’s brother, told The Intercept.
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Ridi → call → Intercept
“The army came after half an hour.”
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army → come → hour
About two and a half hours after the settlers’ arrival, the Israeli military did take action — but not against the settlers.
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military → take → settlers
The workers installing the fence would end up arrested and taken away by Israeli soldiers while the settlers who were trespassing roamed around the property freely, according to security camera footage reviewed by The Intercept.
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who → instal → Intercept
The Israeli military’s actions that night against the workers stand as an example of the Israeli government’s broader role in and response to settler violence in the occupied West Bank — emboldening the settlers’ lawless behavior as they forcibly displace Palestinians from their homes and land.
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they → stand → homes
Just a few days later on August 9, settlers began a siege on three homes in Qusra, including the Abu Ridi’s, blocking the main road and trapping families inside their houses with limited water and food.
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settlers → begin → water
Despite claims by the Israeli military that it has removed Israeli citizens since the siege began in Qusra and that they are minimizing the impact of operations on Palestinian civil life, the videos from before and during the siege show a village that remains under threat from settlers — with Israeli soldiers doing little to stop them.
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soldiers → remove → them
There’s military all around the house,” said Abu Ridi, after traveling from Ohio last week to protect his home in Qusra.
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Ridi → ’ → Qusra
“The IDF” — Israel Defense Forces — “presence is not helping the situation.
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presence → help → situation
It’s not giving us the freedom to go in and out.”
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It → give → freedom
The siege has led to international condemnation of the impunity afforded to settlers — including rare, harshly worded remarks from the far-right U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee.
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siege → lead → Israel
In statements to The Intercept, the Israeli military referred to the settlers as “rioters” but did not answer questions about the incident on August 4.
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military → refer → August
“IDF soldiers are currently permanently stationed in the area until further notice, in order to protect its residents and prevent friction,” an Israeli military spokesperson said.
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spokesperson → station → friction
“The IDF is operating with the tools at its disposal and will continue to work to restore order in the area, prevent disturbances, and ensure the security of all residents of the area, both Palestinians and Israelis.
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IDF → operate → area
“Complicit With the Settlers”
On August 4, Qusai Abu Ridi said he called the police for help when the settlers arrived.
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settlers → say → help
In a security video just a few minutes before midnight, Israeli soldiers can be seen approaching the gate before some of the settlers walk up to them and talk.
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some → see → them
About two minutes later, the soldiers and settlers walk together through the gate and up to the house.
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soldiers → walk → house
“The settlers entered with them and were talking to each other and praising each other,” Qusai Abu Ridi said.
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Ridi → enter → other
Video from around 12:12 a.m. shows the Israeli settlers moving around the property freely and unescorted as they exit through the gate.
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they → show → gate
Abu Ridi and the workers were eventually taken to one side of the house where security video shows them facing the wall with their hands up to be searched.
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hands → take → wall
Just after 2 a.m., video shows two workers being taken by Israeli soldiers.
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workers → show → soldiers
Both men are blindfolded with their arms tied behind their backs.
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arms → blindfold → backs
Qusai Abu Ridi said that they tried to tell the soldiers that they had called because they wanted protection from the soldiers.
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they → say → soldiers
“One of the soldiers replied, ‘Shut up, not a word, do not say a word,’” he recalled of the incident.
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he → reply → incident
They were the ones who attacked us, and we were the ones who were mistreated.”
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who → attack → us
From the U.S., Loui Abu Ridi had watched the incident unfold live through the security camera feed until it cut out.
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it → watch → feed
“It truly was a terrifying moment,” he said.
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he → say → ?
“Imagine you’re watching your brother for two hours, and then they cut off the camera.”
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they → imagine → camera
He added, “Then you start imagining what they’re doing.”
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they → add → what
The workers were held for a few hours before being released without charge, according to Loui Abu Ridi.
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workers → hold → Ridi
He said, “Their crime was trying to protect my house from the settlers.”
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crime → say → settlers
This has been coupled with the Israeli government increasing money for and approvals of settlements, which are illegal under international law.
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which → couple → law
Human rights groups have documented both the rise of settler violence and criticized the Israeli government for its lack of action and even complicity in the attacks.
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groups → document → attacks
According to a recent U.N. report on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, “the increasing participation of Israeli security forces in settler attacks amounts to a de facto collapse of the distinction between settlers and soldiers.”
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participation → accord → settlers
Before the current siege on Qusra, attacks by Israeli settlers on the village had been ramping up for months.
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attacks → ramp → months
Loui Abu Ridi told The Intercept that the first attack on his home was in January of this year.
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attack → tell → year
“When they first came, they were about half a mile away from my house,” Abu Ridi recounted.
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Ridi → come → house
…and 57 more, not listed.
