- Published
About a dozen Palestinian households in a village in the occupied West Bank were told to leave their properties during an Israeli military operation to remove Israeli settlers.
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households → publish → settlers
The settlers had besieged residents in three homes in the area since Sunday, cutting off their power and water supplies.
Qusra Mayor, Abdel Azim Wadi, told the BBC that his village had been declared a closed military zone - and Israeli forces were using some of the vacated Palestinian houses as barracks.
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forces → besiege → barracks
The Israeli military said the aim was "to protect the residents".
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aim → say → residents
An Israeli spokesman told the BBC the settlers' action was "deplorable" and "unacceptable" and the government would investigate and arrest those responsible.
"
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government → tell → those
The Israeli army is acting against it, and we are investigating it and we will arrest those responsible and we will prosecute them," David Mencer said.
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Mencer → act → them
Settlers have been emboldened by the rapid expansion of settlements under the current Israeli government – leading to a dramatic rise in settler violence as they try to drive Palestinians off their land.
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they → embolden → land
Of the besieged families' three homes in Qusra, which are made up of the Abu Ridi and Hassan families, the residents of two were told to leave on Thursday, they told the BBC.
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they → besiege → BBC
They said those told to leave had since moved into the third house.
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those → say → house
Elsewhere in the village, the residents of 11 other houses had also been told to leave by the army.
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residents → tell → army
Earlier, videos shared from Qusra overnight into Thursday showed a dozen Israeli security vehicles – including a bulldozer.
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videos → share → bulldozer
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they had "dismantled two illegal outposts".
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they → say → outposts
It added that it had detained one Israeli and confiscated equipment on the outskirts of the Qusra and Jalud areas, near Nablus.
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it → add → Nablus
One of those asked to leave their home was Qaher Odeh, who said more than 20 soldiers had entered his house on Thursday morning.
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soldiers → ask → morning
They came in and broke down the door, shouting open up, open the door.
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They → come → door
Even now I still can't process what I saw in front of me.
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I → process → me
There was more than 20 of them, maybe 30," he said.
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he → be → them
"We left and kept walking down towards the lower part of the neighbourhood.
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We → leave → neighbourhood
Shortly afterwards, they sealed off the entire area.
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they → seal → area
A lot of people," Odeh added.
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Odeh → add → people
After around 10 hours some families were allowed to return to their homes but found them upturned.
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them → allow → homes
One man told us the soldiers had thrown all the food out the fridge and stolen $1,500 in cash (£1,112).
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soldiers → tell → cash
The IDF did not address the allegations when asked by the BBC.
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IDF → address → BBC
"The soldiers were instructed that the Qusra residents will remain in their homes," the IDF said.
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IDF → instruct → homes
It added that soldiers would not operate inside the Palestinian home that had been subject to the settler's siege.
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that → add → siege
The IDF stressed that Israeli "liaison officers are in ongoing contact with Qusra's local leadership and are working to avoid disruption to the daily lives of the residents in the area".
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officers → stress → area
Qusay Abu Ridi, one of the trapped Palestinian family members, told the BBC that the house had been attacked again overnight and that a few settlers had remained in the area, hiding from the army.
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settlers → trap → army
His brother – who owns the property – is a Palestinian-American businessman who had complained to the US embassy.
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who → own → embassy
The US Ambassador Mike Huckabee – a longstanding supporter of settlements – called the settler intimidation of the Qusra families "a horrific act of terror.
"
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Ambassador → call → terror
Actions by those who carried out this horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family are disgusting.
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who → carry → family
No excuse for such thuggish behavior," he posted on X.
The situation in Qusra first began on Sunday when settlers blocked the road to the Palestinian families' gates and cut off their power and water supplies.
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settlers → post → supplies
The first Israeli soldiers who came to the site prayed with the settlers – an act for which the Israel military later said they would be disciplined.
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they → come → which
The Abu Ridi and Hassan families made appeals for help on social media after their water and power supplies were cut off on Sunday.
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supplies → make → Sunday
On Wednesday an attempt by Israeli security forces to dislodge the settlers led to confrontations with a bigger group.
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attempt → dislodge → group
Palestinian security camera video shared with the BBC showed confrontations between Israeli soldiers and border police and a large crowd of settlers.
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video → share → settlers
The security forces used tear gas and stun grenades.
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forces → use → gas
In other footage, the Israeli forces appear to have confiscated the canopy under which the settlers were sheltering, while leaving their other equipment.
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settlers → appear → equipment
It is not clear exactly what the settlers in Qusra want.
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settlers → want → Qusra
In the past, settlers have forced Palestinians out of their homes and seized their properties.
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settlers → force → properties
The stated aim of the settlers is to empty the area of its Palestinian residents.
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aim → state → residents
Settlements are illegal under international law, but the Israeli government has promoted their recent rapid expansion.
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government → promote → expansion
…and 14 more, not listed.
