Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, has condemned a siege by Israeli settlers of a Palestinian American family's home in the West Bank as a "horrific act of terror". The situation escalated over five days, with settlers throwing stones and preventing the occupants from leaving despite dwindling supplies. Huckabee said that Israeli military and police have been deployed at U.S. request to quell the violence, which has also drawn condemnation from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Six homes in the village of Qusra have been evacuated by Israeli soldiers, including three hilltop homes.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-14,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Mike Huckabee, U.S. ambassador to Israel, condemns 'horrific' violence in West Bank
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Rare rebuke from Huckabee, who says Israeli police have now gone in at U.S. request to quell violence
Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, on Thursday condemned a siege by Israeli settlers of a Palestinian American family's home in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, calling it a "horrific act of terror.
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Since Sunday, according to local officials and family members, settlers have gathered near the home in the village of Qusra and harassed those inside, defying efforts by the Israeli military to defuse the situation.
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A group, which has included up to dozens of men, has thrown stones, attempted to bring down a stone wall nearby and prevented the occupants from leaving despite dwindling supplies.
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Qusai Abu Rida, who had holed up in the house with his teenage son to defend it, said Thursday morning they have since been moved by Israel's military to another home but still cannot leave the area.
The Israeli military declined to confirm whether it relocated any residents.
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Speaking to CBC News from Ohio, the home's owner, Loui Ridi, said that settlers have been targeting his Qusra residence for months before the situation escalated in recent days.
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"In the last ... five, six days, things got escalated into a dangerous situation, since settlers decided to siege the house, build a tent, stay in front of the house, not allow in anyone to provide any supplies," he said in an interview.
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Huckabee said that Israeli military and police "have gone at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this."
"Actions by those who carried out this horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family are disgusting," he said.
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Huckabee is a longtime ally of Israel's settler movement and in the past has expressed support for Israeli control over the occupied West Bank while condemning settler violence.
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Qusra Mayor Abed Al Athem Wadi said that six homes in the village had been evacuated and taken over by Israeli soldiers, including three besieged hilltop homes.
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The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) condemned actions it said were "clearly aimed" at forcing residents to leave "their homes and their land."
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The Canadian government is among those which consider the expansion of West Bank settlements illegal under international law.
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Israeli troops have intervened in recent days to try to restore order.
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The Israeli military said that overnight Thursday, its troops had dismantled "two illegal outposts" on the outskirts of Qusra and a nearby village, and detained one Israeli.
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It added that additional soldiers had surged to the area, which is about 16 kilometres from the city of Nablus, to "carry out defensive missions and patrols."
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Prosecutors charge Israeli settler for killing Palestinian activist in West Bank
Amnesty report accuses Israel of 'ethnic cleansing' in West Bank amid expanded settlements
Journalists on the outskirts of Qusra said roads into the village were closed.
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In recent weeks, human rights groups and foreign governments, including Canada's, have condemned a continued increase in Israeli settler violence.
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Palestinians and the Israeli opposition accuse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of turning a blind eye to attacks by settlers.
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Israel's military condemned the siege as "illegal, reprehensible, and unacceptable" on Tuesday and declared the area a closed military zone.
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But by Wednesday, dozens of settlers had returned and begun to block the road with rocks.
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Qusra is in one of the most violent pockets of the northern West Bank, surrounded by settlements.
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Last month, a mosque there was set on fire in another apparent settler attack.
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That followed the killing of an Israeli settler, which triggered violence that left two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinian villagers dead.
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Settlers have been building more outposts, which are considered illegal under international law, although Israel disagrees and actively supports their construction.
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The expansion of settlements has been condemned by many in the international community as aimed at dismantling any remaining hopes of establishing a Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank.
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The Palestinians seek the West Bank, captured by Israel in the 1967 war, as part of a future state.
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Many settlers and their supporters say the entire area should belong to Israel for historical, religious and security reasons.
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Clarifications
- This article has been edited to provide additional context regarding the construction of settlements in the occupied West Bank.
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