A Palestinian-American homeowner has raised a large US flag over his property in the West Bank village of Qusra, near Nablus, in an attempt to deter Israeli settlers who have besieged three Palestinian houses for over a week. Luai Abu Ridi, an Ohio resident, returned to the occupied West Bank on Monday evening after monitoring the situation via security cameras for seven nights, fearing the loss of his property. He told AFP the flag was a message to all US citizens.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the siege, calling the perpetrators "Israeli terrorists" and demanding consequences. The White House is reportedly pushing Prime Minister Netanyahu to publicly denounce the settlers' actions.
Amnesty International described the situation in Qusra as "coordinated and strategic settler terrorism," noting three families have been trapped in their homes since August 9. UN data shows more than 2,200 Palestinians have been displaced by settler violence since the start of the year.