US Ambassador Condemns Israeli Settler Siege on Palestinian Village of Kusra

The siege of the Palestinian village of Kusra near Nablus by Israeli settlers entered its fourth day on Thursday. Mike Herzog, the US Ambassador to Israel, sharply condemned the settlers' actions on social media, calling it a "shocking act of terror intended to intimidate and harass families." He noted that the Israeli military and police arrived in the village at the request of the Americans. Despite the military presence, the settlers' outpost has not yet been evacuated.

Reports from Palestinian media indicated that a large Israeli army force, accompanied by a bulldozer, arrived in Kusra overnight. The Israeli Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, ordered the suspension of Golani Brigade soldiers' rotation to Lebanon and redirected them to Kusra to end the ongoing incident. The IDF is increasing its forces in the West Bank to restore order amid rising tensions.

On Thursday morning, Central Command Chief Major General Avi Blot, along with the West Bank Division commander and Border Police leaders, visited Kusra. The military dismantled a tent set up by settlers on the village's access road, but additional settlers arrived, prompting the use of stun grenades to disperse them. Security officials also plan to evacuate another illegal outpost in the nearby village of Jalud.

The IDF stated that commanders strongly condemned the settlers' actions against the Palestinian family and ordered disciplinary measures against soldiers involved in a previous incident there. The military affirmed its commitment to maintaining law and order and preventing similar events. Meanwhile, settlers have blocked access roads to Kusra and cut off water and electricity supplies, effectively besieging the residents. A local resident described the situation as being surrounded, while a senior officer called the event "very bad" and said the settlers should have been removed immediately.