Jerusalem —
Israeli settlers raided a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, seizing homes while the owners remained inside. This is the latest brazen attack on settlers in the region.
The Israeli military said “dozens of rioters” were present when it arrived at the scene, but authorities had not yet announced any arrests as of Sunday night.
The settlers entered the village of Kusra early Saturday afternoon and began throwing stones at Luai Adli’s house, he told CNN. He called the Israeli police, and the crowd swelled to what he estimated to be 60 or 70 settlers.
“They surrounded us on all sides and threw stones at all of us,” he said. “This went on for a whole hour, until the troops came in front of the house and the settlers came in behind.”
Adri told CNN that Israeli forces “were watching and did nothing” before firing tear gas into the house. Footage obtained by CNN shows a group of Israeli settlers hurling stones at Adri’s house from one side of the building, while soldiers operate on the other side.
Adri said he and six others inside the house ran to the roof because they “could no longer breathe inside. We were suffocating and the army locked us up with the settlers.” He said Israeli security forces then arrested him, blindfolded him and warned him not to return to his home.
In response to CNN’s request for comment, the Israeli military said it used “reasonable force” against Palestinians it accused of resisting and throwing stones.
Official Israeli statements acknowledged that dozens of rioters were inside the Palestinian residence, but did not say why they were able to leave without being arrested.
In a joint statement with border police, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said security forces identified dozens of rioters who had barricaded themselves in a Palestinian residence while Palestinian residents were inside, who they then “dispersed using various means.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that authorities had seized three cars used as part of the raid. But the IDF said the settlers were “dispersed using various means” and that security forces were working to “locate those involved and hold them accountable according to the law.”
As of Sunday afternoon, authorities had not announced any arrests. An Israeli police spokesperson said police were working with authorities to gather additional evidence and the investigation was ongoing.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the incident in Khusra was “a direct and flagrant defiance of the laws and values of the State of Israel. This is another incident in a disturbing series of events that tarnishes Israel’s image and calls for firm and decisive action.”
In recent months, Israeli settlers have repeatedly besieged the village of Khusra, defying orders from authorities to leave and attempting to forcibly remove Palestinian families, including American citizens. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called the settler violence “a horrific act of terrorism designed to intimidate and harass.”
More than 700,000 Israeli settlers live in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Most of the international community considers this settlement to be illegal under international law. Israel’s current right-wing government has made settlement expansion a top priority, moving forward with plans to build thousands of new homes and approving dozens of new settlements in the West Bank.
In another incident on Saturday in the West Bank town of Jalou, masked settlers attacked an NBC News reporter who was interviewing a Palestinian woman. The woman, Aida Ahmed Abdullah, told NBC News that her family was forced from their home by settlers. While the NBC crew was conducting the interview, masked settlers drove up and attacked the team with sticks.
“They jumped out, beat us, then jumped in the car,” reported correspondent Matt Bradley, who was later treated at a nearby clinic. “This is not an isolated incident but is part of a recurring pattern of violence against journalists and Palestinian civilians,” the Foreign Press Association said in a statement, condemning the attack and calling for an investigation.
Ayed Jaffri, a Palestinian activist who works in areas near Nablus, including the villages of Khusra and Jaloud, told CNN that the area is under constant threat of settler attacks. He said the military often cooperates with settlers rather than stopping them.
“Villages around the city of Nablus are being targeted, and attacks are occurring on a daily basis, especially in these areas,” he said. “The forced migration policy is clear, planned, and organized between the military and settlers.”
Israeli security forces said they were working to prevent further violence in the same area.
“IDF soldiers and Israeli Border Police forces continue to operate in the areas of Qusra and Jarud to prevent further unrest and restore order in the area,” the joint statement said. “Security forces strongly condemn all forms of violence.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu broke his silence, condemning the settler violence but insisting it was just “a handful of rioters breaking the law.” He said in a statement that authorities are “conducting a vigorous investigation on the ground and we look forward to law enforcement arresting the rioters and bringing them to justice as soon as possible.”
But settler violence turned out to be more widespread than a small band of extremists.
On Thursday, IDF Chief of Staff. Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said he has ordered increased military readiness in the West Bank due to rising tensions.
Prime Minister Zamir ordered on Thursday that “troops and battalions must be ready for immediate deployment to strengthen the region.” “The IDF will maintain full multi-pronged readiness across all its units during the holiday period. Operational forces will not be reduced.”
