The recent encirclement of Palestinian residences by extremist Israeli settlers in Qusra village, situated in the occupied West Bank, is not an isolated event. However, the American citizenship of one of the Palestinian homeowners has garnered more media coverage compared to the frequent aggressive actions by hardline Jewish settlers targeting Palestinians and their land.
Ohio-based entrepreneur Loui Ridi went back to Qusra on August 17 to safeguard his property, as well as his brother and nephew residing there, against the settlers who surrounded it along with two neighboring houses. Upon his return, Ridi communicated via video call with CBC news, mentioning how his brother informed him about the lack of food and reluctance to leave the house due to the settlers’ presence.
Ridi emphasized that if they vacate the premises, it would essentially allow the settlers to claim his home, citing a similar incident in a neighboring village where settlers successfully forced a family out of their residence a couple of weeks prior.
Settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law. These settlements have significantly expanded under the current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and his ultranationalist coalition partners, who are criticized for tacitly endorsing settler violence.
Upon his return to Qusra, Ridi hoisted an American flag on the rooftop of his building and has reached out to the U.S. Embassy seeking assistance. Qusra, located approximately 16 kilometers south of Nablus, is encircled by settlement blocs and growing numbers of outposts inhabited by radical settlers.
The surge in settler attacks, resulting in casualties and property damage, averages around six incidents daily this year, as reported by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, marking a record high.
The situation in Qusra prompted condemnation from U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who labeled those responsible as “Israeli terrorists.” Huckabee, a staunch supporter of Israel’s settlement policy, disregards violent settlers as a minority and advocates for Jewish claims to the land.
Critics argue that the issue extends beyond specific incidents like the one in Qusra, emphasizing the systemic violence perpetuated by Israel’s military presence and land annexation.
At the scene, Israeli border police and IDF units were deployed to restore order and dismantle the settler blockade. Ridi reported that IDF soldiers designated the area around his home as a closed military zone, instructing him to remain indoors while allowing a settler to intimidate him on his property.
Videos published by Reuters showed Israeli soldiers engaging in questionable actions, further blurring the distinction between soldiers and settlers in the region. Palestinians express concern that the IDF’s actions indirectly support Israel’s settlement agenda.
The ongoing settlement expansion, such as the construction tenders for a new settlement near East Jerusalem known as E1, has drawn international condemnation from countries like Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, who criticize it for undermining the two-state solution and territorial integrity of the Palestinian Territories.