Owner of besieged house in Qusra: "Evacuating the tent is not a solution"
For three days, Palestinian families in Qusra have been under siege by settlers who set up an illegal outpost. Despite the Chief of Staff's directive to "prevent incidents," the radicals remain on site, and the White House has demanded clarifications from Israel.
For three days now, Palestinian families in Qusra have been under siege by settlers who set up an illegal outpost near their homes and blocked access to them. Luay Abu Rida, an Ohio resident and owner of a house in the besieged area, told Ynet that since the outpost was established, his brother and son have been cut off from the village.
"The real danger is to my brother. He is not receiving food or water. For three days he has been completely cut off," Abu Rida said. He purchased the land in 2014 and built his house with all necessary permits from the Palestinian Authority. Following recent events, he sees no possibility of returning: "My brother and his sons were beaten several times, and he told me: 'Don't come, it's not even safe'."
Abu Rida noted that construction work stopped as workers feared for their lives. Even after IDF forces arrived, the situation did not change significantly, as settlers return immediately after the forces leave. "Evacuation means nothing. They need to close the road and station security forces there permanently," he emphasized. Abu Rida has already contacted the office of US Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur and provided documentation to foreign media.
Harassment and blockade
Ruqayya Hassan Abu Rida, a resident of one of the houses, described constant water and electricity cuts. "We fix it, and they cut it off again two days later. The main road is blocked; they dug into it and placed rocks. They took over a room to observe the road and attack anyone passing by," she explained. Her young daughter is suffering from severe anxiety and fear.
Abd al-Salam Hassan Abu Rida added that the settlers have already expelled one family and are attempting to do the same here. This morning, security forces arrived at the site. The IDF spokesperson stated that soldiers evacuated the "canopy," but the radicals remained in the area, blocking access roads with heavy rocks. Central Command Chief Avi Bluth also arrived at the scene.
Later, the IDF spokesperson released a statement saying Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir ordered to "prevent the continuation of serious incidents" and reinforce the sector with an additional infantry battalion. The incident has sparked fury in Washington, with the White House and Congress demanding clarifications from Israel. Advisors to President Donald Trump have also expressed their anger to Israeli officials.
