Dozens of masked Israeli settler militants launched an assault on homes near the occupied West Bank village of Qusra on Saturday, marking the first major attack following a recent settlement by settlers that sparked an international outcry.
Witnesses reported that the settlers besieged a Palestinian residence, throwing stones while seven Palestinians were trapped inside. Saddam Oday, one of the trapped individuals, stated that the Israeli military deployed tear gas into the house and detained the residents, releasing him but not apprehending any settlers.
Luay Bayrudi, the homeowner, recounted that upon the military’s arrival, the soldiers handcuffed, blindfolded, and physically assaulted those inside before eventually releasing them. The Israeli military stated that their forces intervened to remove “rioters” and safeguard the residents.
In response to the incident, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly denounced the violence in Qusra, attributing it to a “handful of rioters” and condemning the acts in both Qusra and the neighboring village of Jalud.
Residents reported frequent incursions by settlers into the vicinity, with Bayrudi highlighting a distressing hour-long ordeal where he and six others were trapped inside their home while facing a barrage of stones hurled by settlers. Oday, a medic present during the attack, noted injuries sustained by four individuals due to tear gas exposure and two from the settlers’ stone-throwing.
The assault took place close to three homes previously under siege by settlers, leading to international condemnation and a substantial Israeli military presence that residents claim has essentially confined them within their residences.
Rights groups assert that the escalating settler presence near Palestinian villages like Qusra forms part of a broader strategy to seize Palestinian land, encroaching on territories crucial for Palestinian statehood aspirations. Settler violence in the occupied West Bank has been on the rise, with some settlers emboldened by the Netanyahu government’s extensive settlement activities in the region.
The Israeli military pledged continued operations in Qusra and the adjacent Jalud to prevent further disturbances and restore order. Despite international consensus on the illegality of settlements under relevant international law, Israel maintains a different perspective, considering the area disputed rather than occupied.
Overall, the mounting settler violence against Palestinians underscores a concerning trend, prompting discussions on the broader implications of such aggression within the Palestinian territories.