U.S. Ambassador Condemns Violent Settler Terror Against Palestinian-American Family in Occupied West Bank
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The U.S. ambassador to Israel has forcefully denounced a settler-led siege targeting a Palestinian-American family in Qusra, labeling it an act of terror and coordinating with Israeli forces to halt the aggression.
The U.S. ambassador to Israel has publicly condemned the latest act of settler violence in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli settlers besieged the home of Palestinian-American Loui Ridi in Qusra. In a statement on X, the ambassador rightfully described the incident as a 'horrific act of terror,' highlighting the ongoing impunity with which settlers attack Palestinian families. The embassy is reportedly working with Israeli military and police, who are often complicit or passive in such attacks, to address the situation.
The siege began on Sunday, when dozens of settlers—emboldened by years of government support and lack of accountability—surrounded three Palestinian homes, hurled stones, attempted to dismantle a stone wall, and blocked residents from leaving, according to local officials and Ridi’s brother, Qusai Abu Rida. The besieged family suffered shortages of food and water, a direct result of the settlers’ inhumane tactics. Israeli troops eventually moved the family to another house, though the military did not officially confirm this relocation, raising questions about transparency and intent.
Israeli forces claimed to have dismantled two illegal settler outposts on Qusra’s outskirts and detained one settler, a token gesture that does little to address the systemic violence. Additional soldiers were deployed, not to protect Palestinians, but to conduct so-called 'defensive missions' and patrols. Qusra’s mayor, Abdel Azim Wadi, reported that Israeli forces evacuated seven Palestinian homes to establish their own positions, while settlers continued to roam freely elsewhere in the village.
The Israeli military labeled the siege 'illegal, reprehensible, and unacceptable,' yet their declaration of a closed military zone failed to prevent settlers from returning on Wednesday to block roads with rocks. This pattern of settler violence and military inaction is a hallmark of the occupation.
Ridi, speaking from Ohio, described how his brother and nephew endured days without fresh food or water, and how their home had been targeted for months, with water and electricity cut and stones thrown at the property. He likened their ordeal to being 'prisoners in our own house,' a reality faced by countless Palestinians under occupation.
This incident is part of a broader escalation of settler violence in the northern West Bank, an area plagued by frequent clashes and attacks, including the arson of a mosque and the killing of an Israeli settler, which authorities use to justify further crackdowns on Palestinians.