Siege of Palestinian homes in West Bank a 'horrific act of terror', says US ambassador

Israeli settlers have been condemned by the US ambassador after the home of an American Palestinian family in the occupied West Bank was besieged.

Mike Huckabee's post on X was an unusually strong rebuke from a US official, even as he defended the Israeli military's response.

Since Sunday, 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, according to local officials and family members.

A group that has included up to dozens of men has thrown stones, attempted to bring down a nearby stone wall, and stopped occupants from leaving despite dwindling supplies.

Israel's military said on Thursday it had sent more troops to the village and is trying to disperse the settlers from the area, a day after a failed attempt that saw soldiers deploying tear ​gas.

Mr Huckabee, who was named US ambassador to Israel last year, called the siege a "horrific act of terror".

He said: "The actions of those doing this to this family's home is criminal. The WH hasn't 'intervened' because we have kept DC apprised of the situation already.

"Actions by those who carried out this horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family are disgusting. No excuse for such thuggish behavior [sic]."

He also said that "the IDF & Israel Police have gone at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this". He later posted a video that he claimed was evidence of their intervention.

The home's owner Lou Ridi said his 48-year-old brother and nephew, who have stayed to defend the property, had been unable to leave it, and did not have access to food or water for several days.

On Thursday morning, the owner's brother, Qusai Abu Rida, said he and his teenage son had been evacuated from the area by Israel's military. It was unclear what would happen to the home, and at least one other that has been targeted.

Mr Ridi said settlers have been harassing his home for months before the situation escalated in recent days.

He said they had cut off the water and electricity to his house and thrown stones, causing damage to the property as well as at least one more house in the area.

"We are prisoners in our own house, hostages in our own house," he said.

Mr Huckabee has been an ally of Israel's settler movement and in the past expressed support for Israeli control over the occupied West Bank while condemning settler violence.

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The IDF is facing growing pressure to halt ​rogue land seizures by settlers, who appeared to be emboldened by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hardline government, which has spearheaded a rapid expansion of settlements in the territory.

Palestinians and the Israeli opposition accuse the Netanyahu administration of turning a blind eye to attacks.

The military, in a statement late on Tuesday, described the Qusra outpost as "illegal, ​reprehensible, and unacceptable activity that harms the residents of the areas and disrupts their daily lives".

In recent days, Israeli troops have intervened to try to restore order.

The military said that overnight on Thursday its troops had dismantled "two illegal outposts" on the outskirts of Qusra and a nearby village, and detained one Israeli.

It said that additional soldiers had pushed into the area, which is about 10 miles (16km) from the Palestinian city of Nablus, to "carry out defensive missions and patrols".

Journalists on the outskirts of Qusra said roads into the village were closed.

When troops deployed to the area to disperse the settlers on Wednesday morning, there were clashes and tear gas was used, video footage appeared to show.

The army removed the cover of ​one of the outpost's tents and then withdrew from the area, after which the settlers tried to break the gate ‌to one ⁠of the Palestinian homes, witnesses said.

The military said that border police forces "evacuated the tent and are working to evacuate the civilians who were staying there," referring to settlers, and noting that the situation is ongoing.

Last month, a mosque in Qusra was set ablaze in another apparent settler attack. That followed the killing of an Israeli settler, sparking violence that left two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinian villagers dead.

(c) Sky News 2026: Siege of Palestinian homes in West Bank a 'horrific act of terror', says US ambassador