U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee visited the West Bank village of Turmus Ayya on Saturday, where he condemned ongoing settler violence as an "act of terror". The ambassador stated that such attacks, which have surged since October 2023, include vandalism and burning of property, and extend beyond mere criminal acts. He met with about 10 Palestinian American residents who described the impact of the violence on their lives and properties. This is not the first time a high-ranking Israeli official has condemned settler violence, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it "a handful of rioters" a week ago.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.85, but none of the 1 quote(s) it offered could be found in the article text, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 4812: no verified evidence · logged 2026-09-05
The U.S. ambassador to Israel condemned
in the occupied West Bank again on Saturday, calling the behavior an "act of terror" as he visited with Palestinian American residents shaken by months of attacks.
asserted
he → condemn → attacks
"If there are squatters that come in and put up their own flags and take possession of something that does not belong to them, if they burn a car, if they torch a mosque, if they go into someone's home and vandalize it, paint graffiti on the walls, that's a criminal act.
asserted
that → be → walls
But it extends beyond a criminal act.
asserted
it → extend → act
It's an act of terror," Ambassador Mike Huckabee said during his visit to the village of Turmus Ayya, which has reported
by settlers over the past year.
asserted
which → say → year
Such attacks have surged since the war in Gaza began with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, according to the United Nations humanitarian office.
uncertain
war → surge → office
During Saturday's visit to Turmus Ayya, the ambassador began his remarks by making clear he was addressing U.S. citizens, who make up a small percentage of the roughly 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank.
asserted
who → begin → Bank
"I'm very aware that a lot of the American people who live in Turmus Ayya and other communities across this region are not enjoying the life they deserve to live, not enjoying it in a peaceful way," Huckabee said.
asserted
Huckabee → live → way
"It's a life that is disturbed by people who have created extraordinary challenges that are unfair and illegal."
asserted
that → disturb → challenges
The U.S. Embassy can't investigate criminal activity, he said, but it can tell its host government "there are needs that need to be addressed, there are issues that cannot go unnoticed, and specific crimes and acts of terror that cannot continue without that country doing the investigation and adjudication that every person has a right to expect.
asserted
person → investigate → right
Huckabee met with about 10 Palestinian American residents who described the impact of the violence on their lives and properties, the municipality told The Associated Press.
asserted
municipality → meet → Press
A week ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the actions of a "handful of rioters," and the foreign ministry called the settlers' actions "a disgrace."
asserted
ministry → condemn → actions
It has presided over a surge of settlement construction in the West Bank.
asserted
It → preside → Bank
Israel captured the West Bank, along with Gaza and East Jerusalem, in the 1967 Mideast war, territories the Palestinians want for a future state.
asserted
Palestinians → capture → state
The U.N. and much of the international community consider them to be illegally occupied.
asserted
them → consider → community
Since then, the Israeli government has built nearly 150 settlements that are home to well over 500,000 Jewish settlers.
asserted
that → build → settlers
Many settlements resemble developed suburbs.
asserted
settlements → resemble → suburbs
Israel's military operates in all parts of the
, but rights groups have said the military frequently turns a blind eye to settler violence.
asserted
military → operate → violence
The settlers are Israeli citizens, and Israel's defense minister recently announced plans to fully transfer law enforcement among settlers to the Israeli police.
asserted
minister → announce → police
