Settler siege in Qusra draws international pressure

For nearly a week, Israeli settlers have besieged Palestinian homes in the village of Palestine — Qusra in the occupied West Bank, cutting off water and electricity and trapping about 15 Palestinians, including two children, according to the United Nations. The siege is part of a broader settler effort to seize land and connect outposts, rights groups say. The United States, after learning that a Palestinian-American's home was among those targeted, has pressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly condemn the siege. U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee called the settlers 'Israeli terrorists.' France condemned the seizure and called on Israel to arrest and prosecute the settlers. The Israeli military deployed soldiers to Palestine — Qusra and removed a tent erected by settlers, but the siege continues. Netanyahu has not commented, facing political pressure from settler supporters ahead of elections. The incident highlights rising settler violence since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and the challenges of enforcing law in the West Bank.