US Ambassador Calls Israeli Settlers 'Terrorists' Amid Siege of Qusra Village

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has condemned settlers besieging three families in the village of Qusra, near Nablus in the occupied West Bank, calling them "Israeli terrorists."

The siege comes as the Israeli military continues its raids in Jenin, blocking aid to Palestinians in the refugee camp on the fourth day of the offensive.

Speaking on social media platform X on Thursday, Huckabee wrote: "The actions of those perpetrating this horrific terror to intimidate and harass this family are despicable. There is no justification for such thuggery."

He added that the US embassy has been "very actively engaged" and that the Israeli Defense Forces and Israeli police "arrived at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this." He also posted video of military and police convoys, saying they were removing "illegal intruders who came to threaten Palestinian people."

US officials have long condemned settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank in general terms, but rarely called their actions "terrorism" or labeled them "terrorists." Huckabee's choice of words is seen as one of the strongest public rebukes by a US ambassador to Israel over settler attacks.

Notably, Huckabee is a close ally of Israel and has voiced support for Israeli settlements in the West Bank, despite their illegality under international law.

Palestinian residents of Qusra say they have been cut off from water, electricity, and other essential supplies during the siege, which they describe as an attempt by settlers to seize their land.

The three families — 15 people, including two children — have been confined to their homes since Sunday. The UN Human Rights Office warned: "Time is running out for these three families before they are forcibly displaced."

Loai Ridi, a Palestinian-American living in Toledo, USA, who owns a home in the village, said his brother Qusai Abu Rida and 18-year-old nephew Ahmed are among those trapped. "He does not want to leave his home. Because if he leaves, the settlers will take the house immediately," he said. The family relies on temporary solar power and well water left over from winter after supply lines were cut.

Qusra's mayor, Abdel Azim Wadi, told Al Jazeera that the Israeli military has protected and aided the settlers. "We see them praying together, grilling together, and dancing together. They are not really concerned with helping the families under siege."

According to Israeli media, authorities are trying to resolve the siege by removing settlers from the area, but with limited success. Israeli forces attempted to "evacuate settlers" on Thursday morning after a previous failed effort. The settlers, using rocks and tents to block Palestinian homes, remained in the area on Thursday.

However, Al Jazeera's Nida Ibrahim reported that most Palestinians believe the Israeli military is "staging their response to the siege for cameras," and they expect settlers will eventually return even if removed this time.

The UN Human Rights Office and the Palestinian Foreign Ministry also condemned the siege. The UN said "these criminal acts by settlers, supported or tacitly approved by Israel, the occupying power, are making life unbearable for these Palestinian families and are aimed at forcing them to leave their homes and land."

Qusra has faced settler attacks for decades, and residents attribute the rising violence to the expansion of illegal settlements and the lack of accountability for attackers.

Although the Israeli government has taken some actions against violent settlers, Palestinians say that often Israeli forces support them. Recent videos from Qusra show Israeli soldiers praying with settlers besieging the families, though Al Jazeera could not independently verify the footage.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has pushed for the expansion of illegal settlements since 1996, depends on settler and far-right support to maintain power in upcoming elections in October, according to analysts.

Figures show Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. Over 500,000 Israeli settlers live in the territory, not including East Jerusalem, among about three million Palestinians. Last month, Israel's security cabinet approved a plan to establish 13 new settlements in the central West Bank.

According to data from the Palestinian Forum for Israeli Studies (MADAR), the number of new illegal outposts has surged: from an average of about 8 per year in 2012-2022 to 32 in 2023, 62 in 2024, and 86 in 2025.

Nasser Khdour, assistant management researcher for the Middle East at the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), said 2026 so far is the deadliest year for settler violence since ACLED began tracking incidents in Palestine a decade ago.