Breaking News: US Ambassador Mike Huckabee has publicly denounced extremist Israeli settlers for seizing Palestinian property in the West Bank, prompting Israeli military intervention.
United States Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has sharply criticised a group of Israeli settlers for seizing a home belonging to a Palestinian American family in the West Bank town of Qusra. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) subsequently evicted the settlers and arrested one individual, according to Fox News. The incident has drawn condemnation from both the US and senior Israeli officials.
The settlers, described as a “small group of extremist Jewish settlers” by Fox News, had besieged multiple homes, including that of Loui Ridi, a Palestinian American from Ohio. Ambassador Huckabee, responding to criticism that his team had not acted decisively, stated on X: “The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has been VERY involved & the IDF & Israel Police have gone at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this.” He further labelled the settlers’ actions “criminal” and “disgusting”, asserting that the White House had been kept informed.
A senior Israeli official acknowledged that “Israel doesn’t accept vigilantes,” and confirmed that an additional IDF battalion had been deployed to the area to address the unrest. However, the official also pointed to over 300 Palestinian terrorist attacks against Jews in May alone, arguing against a “false symmetry” between the incidents. Nadav Eyal, a columnist for Yedioth Ahronoth, described the settler violence as “Jewish terrorism” and a “serious problem” for Israeli authorities.
Reaction & Context
The incident highlights growing tensions in the West Bank and the challenges faced by Israeli authorities in controlling extremist elements. Ambassador Huckabee’s unusually forceful language – referring to the settlers as “terrorists” – underscores the US administration’s concern. The head of the Yesha Council, Yisrael Ganz, condemned the violence, stating there was “no place” for such actions even if properties were illegally built.
What Happens Next
The IDF has pledged to increase efforts to curb violence in the West Bank. Further arrests are anticipated, and the incident is likely to fuel debate about Israeli settlement policy and the escalating tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.
Sources: Fox News, The Jerusalem Post.
