US Ambassador Mike Huckabee Condemns Israeli Settlers as 'Terrorists' Amid West Bank Siege in Qusra

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has sharply condemned Israeli settlers who placed three families under siege in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, near Nablus, referring to them as "Israeli terrorists." The unfolding crisis in Qusra coincides with ongoing Israeli military raids in Jenin, which have blocked access to humanitarian aid for Palestinians in the refugee camp during the fourth day of the assault.

Huckabee, a long-standing ally of Israel who has previously supported settlements in the occupied West Bank despite their illegality under international law, issued the stark rebuke on Thursday. The siege trapped three Palestinian homes in Qusra, including one belonging to a dual US citizen. In a post on X, Huckabee described the actions as a "horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family" and termed the behavior "disgusting" with "no excuse.">

He noted that the US embassy had been heavily involved and that the Israel Defense Forces and Israel Police intervened at American request to remove the individuals responsible. Huckabee shared a video showing security forces arriving to disperse those he called "illegal trespassers." While US officials have frequently criticized settler violence broadly, labeling the actions and perpetrators directly as "terror" and "terrorists" marks an exceptionally strong public statement for a US ambassador.

Inside the village, Palestinian residents report being completely cut off from water, electricity, and basic supplies. Loai Ridi, an American-Palestinian residing in Toledo, US, who owns a home in Qusra, stated that his brother Qusai Abu Rida and 18-year-old nephew, Ahmed, are among those confined. Relatives have relied on a temporary solar power system and remaining winter well water after supply lines were severed.

International bodies have also reacted strongly. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the siege, warning that the actions are designed to force families from their land. Al Jazeera's Nida Ibrahim reported from the scene that the three families, comprising 15 people including two children, have been trapped since Sunday.

According to Israeli media reports, authorities attempted to manage the situation by removing the settlers, though residents remain deeply skeptical. Qusra mayor Abdel Azim Wadi told Al Jazeera that the military's response felt superficial, noting that soldiers and settlers had been seen interacting amicably. The broader context of settlement expansion involves significant government backing, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and far-right cabinet members like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir continuing to support the growth of settlements amid rising violence documented by organizations like the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED).