Israeli Settlers Invade Palestinian Homes in Kusra, IDF Fails to Complete Evacuation

On Saturday evening, dozens of Jewish settlers entered the Palestinian village of Kusra, located south of Nablus, disrupting efforts to repair a water line deliberately damaged earlier in the week. Soldiers from the Golani Brigade's 51st Battalion stationed at the site were unable to control the situation, and no arrests were made. The settlers blocked a bulldozer brought by villagers to fix the water supply, forcing the driver to flee.

The Israeli military criticized the absence of police and Border Police forces during the incident, noting that while the IDF has authority to detain suspects for up to three hours, only the police can make arrests. Concerns were raised within the military that settler violence could escalate tensions across the West Bank. Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi reportedly stated in closed discussions that the army's focus should remain on Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza, warning that violent outbreaks in the territories could divert IDF resources.

A senior IDF officer criticized Defense Minister Israel Katz's decision to assign responsibility for West Bank security primarily to the police, stating that police and Border Police should do more but currently do not. Meanwhile, Israel's ambassador to the United States, Yacov Livne, joined U.S. Ambassador Mike Herzog in condemning the Kusra events, calling the settlers' actions unjustified violence that misrepresents the concept of settling the land of Israel and diverts security resources from legitimate enforcement.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions in the West Bank, with extremist settlers targeting Palestinian infrastructure and the Israeli military struggling to maintain order amid limited police cooperation.