DUBAI: Israeli forces were recently seen preventing Knesset lawmaker Ofer Cassif from reaching a Palestinian family whose home has been surrounded by settlers in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra.
Louai Ridi, a Palestinian American, has been effectively trapped on his property since settlers first arrived in the area on Aug. 9.
The settlers pitched a tent surrounding Ridi’s home before cutting water pipes and electricity lines and blocking roads leading to his property, making it extremely difficult for the Ridi family and other residents to go about the area.
Videos posted by Cassif and the families have brought international attention to the standoff, creating an unusual degree of pressure on the Israeli government and its military.
In a rare public condemnation, staunch Israel supporter and American ambassador to the country Mike Huckabee referred to the settlers as “Israeli terrorists.”
Despite claims by the Israeli army alleging it has deployed troops to dispel the settlers, residents say soldiers are seen casually socializing with them while Palestinian families remain restricted under the threat of chaos and violence.
The situation in Qusra reflects a much broader expansion of Israeli settler activity across the occupied West Bank.
Israeli settlements and outposts are illegal under international law, yet some frequently establish their presence without legal authorization; meanwhile, Palestinians face attacks and intimidation in attempts to drive them off their land.
The Israeli government has also been advancing plans for further settlement construction, including tenders for more than 1,000 Israeli homes in the occupied area.
The construction is part of Israel’s E1 plan, which would see the expansion of the settlement network between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim.
Palestinians and rights groups have warned that development in the area would further isolate and restrict movement across the West Bank, effectively separating the Palestinian communities and rendering the territory increasingly fragmented.
The UN Human Rights Office has described the E1 project as a “grave and unlawful step to consolidate annexation.”
Several western governments also condemned the project, calling on Israel to withdraw the tenders and cautioning companies against bidding for the construction work.
For Cassif, the events in Qusra are part of a much wider reality Palestinians face on a daily basis under Israeli occupation.
“This is exactly what apartheid looks like. This is exactly what occupation looks like. We will not give up. We will continue to fight against the terror of the occupation and for a just peace,” he said.
