Dozens of masked Israeli settler militants launched an assault on residences near the occupied West Bank village of Qusra on Saturday, marking the first significant attack following a recent siege by settlers that sparked international outrage.
Witnesses reported that the settlers encircled a Palestinian home, hurling stones while trapping seven Palestinians inside. Saddam Oday, one of the trapped individuals, recounted that the Israeli military deployed tear gas into the house, detained the residents, and released him while allowing the settlers to depart without apprehension.
Luay Bayrudi, the homeowner, disclosed that upon the military’s arrival, soldiers handcuffed, blindfolded, and physically assaulted those inside before eventually releasing them. The Israeli military justified its presence, stating that troops and border police intervened to disperse “rioters” and safeguard the residents within the home.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the violence in Qusra, attributing it to a “handful of rioters” and denouncing the criminal acts in Qusra and Jalud, a neighboring village.
Residents reported regular incursions, with Bayrudi mentioning that he and six others sought refuge in the house for over an hour as settlers pelted stones. He displayed a bandaged arm, incurred during the attack, as evidence.
The assault unfolded mere meters away from homes besieged earlier in the month, eliciting global censure and a substantial Israeli military presence that effectively confined residents to their residences.
Rights organizations assert that the escalating settler presence near Palestinian villages like Qusra forms part of a broader strategy to appropriate Palestinian land, encroaching on territory crucial for potential Palestinian statehood.
Settler violence in the occupied West Bank has surged, bolstered by the policies under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who oversaw a considerable settlement expansion. The Israeli military pledged ongoing operations in Qusra and Jalud to maintain order and prevent further disturbances.
While international bodies and numerous nations deem settlements illegal under international law concerning military occupations, Israel maintains a stance viewing the territory as disputed rather than occupied.