Israeli Settlers Block West Bank Village, Cutting Supplies to Families
The Israeli settler outpost in Qusra near Nablus has shut down water, electricity and food supplies for two Palestinian households since Sunday, according to family statements and local footage.
Shortly after the clash, Israeli security forces withdrew from the outpost, leaving about a dozen settlers entrenched. The first troops who arrived were seen praying with the settlers, a moment captured by Palestinian security cameras.
The Abu Ridi and Hassan families have used social media to call for help as their resources dwindled. They described their homes as “completely isolated” and sought only the right to live safely and with dignity.
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East, Ramiz Alakbarov, warned the Security Council that “the West Bank is at breaking point,” echoing reports that 76 Palestinians, including 18 children, have been killed in the territory this year.
The IDF issued a statement condemning the outpost’s establishment and labeled the seizure of Palestinian homes as “illegal, reprehensible and unacceptable.” Senior officers from the Central Command later met residents, voicing grave concern and ordering evacuation of civilians from the site.
During the confrontation, Israeli soldiers used tear gas and stun grenades against a large crowd of settlers, while border police seized the canopy that the settlers had used for shelter.
Local authorities, including mayor Abdel Azim Wadi, noted a pattern of targeting Qusra, citing previous incidents such as a mosque fire and violent attacks in nearby villages.
Human rights organization Yesh Din pressed the Israeli military to protect the besieged families, demanding the evacuation of the settler outpost and accountability for the actions of security personnel.
Despite the IDF’s condemnation, Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon dismissed settlements as obstacles to peace, asserting their permanence and biblical, historic and legal rights to the land.
In the broader context, the United Nations has documented that 127 Palestinian communities have experienced displacement, with roughly 3,800 Palestinians forced from homes by settler violence, demolitions and evictions this year alone.
