Mike Huckabee has condemned a days-long blockade of several homes in the West Bank, including one owned by a dual US citizen
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has branded Israeli settlers besieging three Palestinian families in their West Bank homes “terrorists.” The days-long siege has targeted several properties, including one owned by a dual US citizen.
According to the UN, the blockade in the village of Qusra began last Sunday, leaving approximately 15 Palestinians, including at least two children, trapped in their homes without access to electricity or water supplies. The Palestinians are also believed to be running out of food and medicine.
Huckabee, known for his pro-Israel views and support for the settler movement, issued the rare rebuke in a post on X on Thursday.
“The actions of those doing this to this family’s home is criminal… Actions by those who carried out this horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family are disgusting. No excuse for such thuggish behavior,” the diplomat wrote.
The US envoy also claimed that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the police had removed the “Israeli terrorists” from Qusra at the US Embassy’s request.
The IDF claimed on Thursday that its forces had “dismantled two illegal outposts” erected by the settlers on the outskirts of the Qusra and Jalud areas, detaining one Israeli. In a post on X, the IDF also said that its troops would “carry out defensive missions and patrols in the area to maintain security and protect the area.”
However, the siege appears to have continued unabated, with settlers still overrunning the village located south of the city of Nablus.
The West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Six-Day War, is home to around three million Palestinians and more than 500,000 Israelis. The latter live in dozens of settlements, which are considered illegal under international law.
Israel insists that the West Bank is disputed territory with deep historical and biblical ties to the Jewish people.
In mid-July, the Israeli government allocated 1.3 billion shekels ($431 million) to set up 34 new settlements in the West Bank, despite growing criticism of its expansionist policies by the UN, Arab nations, and many EU member states.
Settler violence against Palestinians has been on the rise in the West Bank since the surprise attack on Israel by Hamas in October 2023, which triggered a major conflict in Gaza.
RT’s Charlotte Dubenskij traveled to Qusra but was unable to reach the besieged Palestinian homes when Israeli settlers harassed her crew. That is despite her having received clearance from the IDF.
