Palestinian American Returns to Defend Besieged Home in Qusra
A Palestinian American traveled to the West Bank village of Qusra to join family members defending their home, which has been surrounded by Israeli settlers for more than a week.
A Palestinian American who owns a house in the West Bank village of Qusra arrived on Monday to assist family members who have been defending the property amid a settler siege that began more than a week ago. The standoff involves groups of Israeli settlers encircling several Palestinian homes and restricting residents' movement, while the U.S. has condemned the action and the Israeli military says troops are present to maintain order.
The broader context includes a rise in violence in the West Bank, with Palestinian health officials reporting 87 Palestinian deaths and three Israeli deaths this year.
Loui Ridi, who lives in Ohio, said he had been monitoring the situation through security cameras and expressed concern about the ongoing siege.
"I’ve been watching this live for many days and now this is the second week. I can’t sleep. I can’t let the settlers steal my house while I was watching," he told reporters at Ben Gurion Airport.
After reuniting with his mother and sister in Qusra, Ridi joined his brother Qusai Abu Rida and his teenage son, who had remained inside the house. He waited for Israeli military escort to reach the home, noting that the area had been declared a closed military zone but that soldiers were still interacting with settlers.
"I should be able to go to my house freely, anytime I want," Ridi said.
The incident was reported from Tel Aviv.