U.S. ambassador condemns settler siege of Palestinian family home in West Bank

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said the ongoing siege of an American-Palestinian family's home in the West Bank village of Qusra was a "horrific act of terror." The family, whose members have been holed up in the house since Sunday, reported that settlers have surrounded the property, thrown stones, attempted to demolish a nearby stone wall and cut off food and water supplies.

The homeowner, Lou Ridi, told the Associated Press that his brother and nephew, who were defending the house, were unable to leave and lacked basic necessities for several days. On Thursday, the brother, Qusai Abu Rida, and his teenage son were evacuated by Israeli troops, though the future of the property remains uncertain.

Israeli soldiers said they had dismantled two illegal outposts on the outskirts of Qusra and a neighboring village and detained one Israeli individual. Additional troops were deployed to the area, about 16 km north of Nablus, to conduct defensive missions and patrols. Journalists reported road closures around the village, and Israeli police did not immediately comment on any arrests of civilian settlers.

"We are prisoners in our own house, hostages in our own house," Ridi said, describing the conditions his family faced.

The incident follows a series of tensions in the region, including a recent arson attack on a mosque in Qusra and prior violence that left Israeli soldiers and Palestinian villagers dead. Critics of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government argue that it has failed to curb settler aggression, while supporters of the settlement enterprise maintain that the West Bank belongs to Israel for historical and security reasons.

International observers have repeatedly condemned the expansion of outposts, viewing them as obstacles to a two-state solution.