The United States and Trump Administration wants Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly condemn militant settlers who have besieged Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank.
For nearly a week Israeli settlers have surrounded homes in the village of Qusra, cutting off water and electricity. According to the United Nations, around 15 Palestinians including two children remain trapped inside. Rights groups warn this siege is part of a coordinated effort by settlers to seize more Palestinian land.
"A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administration’s goal to achieve peace in the region" a White House official stated on Friday.
Netanyahu’s office has yet to comment. Analysts note that condemning the settlers poses a significant political risk for the Prime Minister. His right-wing coalition relies heavily on settler support, a critical factor as he faces looming elections and weakened approval ratings following the 2023 Hamas attacks.
Meanwhile, trapped residents remain terrified. "We are very afraid. It's been like this for six days AND the settlers are still here" Aysha Hassan a besieged resident told reporters by phone.
On Friday, the trapped families received some relief when Palestinian, Israeli and foreign activists brought food and bottled water. However, the Israeli military declared the area a closed military zone, preventing direct delivery. Troops eventually checked the supplies and allowed residents to briefly step outside to retrieve them from a nearby dirt path.
Recent footage showed settlers pitching a tent near the homes and throwing stones at the village. The Israeli military (IDF) later dismantled the tent, stating that soldiers were deployed to protect local residents. However, earlier videos showed men in military uniforms joining the settlers in prayer at the tent, prompting the IDF to announce disciplinary actions against the involved personnel.
Rights organizations emphasize that the siege in Qusra and neighboring Jalud is a strategic move to grab land and connect illegal settler outposts.
Under Netanyahu's current government, settlement expansion in the West Bank territory captured by Israel in 1967 has rapidly accelerated. Today, the West Bank is home to approximately three million Palestinians and 500,000 Israeli settlers living across hundreds of settlements and outposts.
