Three days without water and electricity: claims that settlers are holding a Palestinian family under siege
According to Palestinians and Israeli human rights activists, two families in the village of Qusra have been under siege for three days after settlers established an offshoot of a nearby outpost next to their homes, blocked roads, and damaged water and electricity connections. An urgent demand for Avi Bluth to intervene.
Anarchy in the West Bank: members of a Palestinian family have been under siege for three days by settlers, with abandonment by the army and police due to an IDF decision not to evacuate illegal outposts. As of Tuesday, over one hundred illegal outposts have been established in recent weeks, and the IDF, under a sweeping directive, is not evacuating them.
The "Yesh Din" organization has made an urgent appeal to the Central Command Chief, Major General Avi Bluth, demanding the protection of the besieged residents, the evacuation of the outpost, and that the settlers be brought to justice.
Another peak of anarchy was recorded in recent days. Far-right activists laid siege to two houses in the village of Qusra in Area B — seven Palestinians, including two young girls aged 10 and 4, have been under siege for three days. The settlers cut off the electricity and water pipes, and the supply of water and food in the houses is running out.
Up to this moment, the army has not acted to lift the siege. The IDF even attempted to discipline soldiers who were seen in a video arriving at the illegal outpost and praying with the offenders who established it. The IDF stated that they view the soldiers' actions severely and are working to locate them. However, as of this evening, the IDF is refraining from forcibly evacuating the illegal outpost erected in the courtyard of two Palestinian families' homes.
According to Palestinians and Israeli human rights activists, on Sunday, residents of the "Tel Talpiot" outpost, established in January in Area B, set up a new "offshoot" in the form of a sukkah near the homes of the two families. That same evening, they laid siege to the houses. They blocked access roads with piles of stones, sabotaged electrical cables, damaged the connection to solar panels, and vandalized water pipes.
The settlers are staying in the sukkah around the clock. The members of the besieged families cannot leave the houses for fear of violent attack. Attempts by the occupants to call for help from security forces were unsuccessful. A military force that arrived at the scene was documented praying with the attackers, and then left.
This evening, human rights organizations appealed to Major General Avi Bluth, demanding his intervention to evacuate the illegal outpost and rescue the two families. The IDF Spokesperson's Unit did not respond.
