EU envoy visits Qusra, holds phone call with resident of besieged home after settler attack

EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Christophe Bigot visited Qusra in the West Bank this morning following the recent settler attack on the Palestinian village, an EU spokesperson says in a statement.

During a visit to the Nablus governorate, Bigot, along with representatives of the EU Representative Office and humanitarian organizations, was briefed by the head of Qusra’s village council “about the recent incidents of settler violence and the siege of some residential homes in Qusra by extremist settlers,” the statement says.

Bigot also spoke by phone with a resident of a home besieged in the weekend attack, the statement reads.

“The EU takes this opportunity to underline its consistent position in condemning extremist settler violence and in calling to ensure accountability for the perpetrators of crimes. The EU supports initiatives to protect and provide assistance to Palestinians threatened by extremist settlers,” the statement concludes.

Qusra, southeast of Nablus, has been the target of a wave of recent settler attacks, including a weeks-long siege on several Palestinian homes, which has drawn international attention to the village and has caused a prolonged military deployment in the area, which has itself led to the forced displacement of several Palestinian families from their homes.

According to Hebrew media, there have still been no arrests made after dozens of settlers attacked Qusra this weekend and took over a Palestinian home while the family was inside. The military was called to clear the settlers from the home.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the incident yesterday, while downplaying the wave of violence against Palestinians as the act of a “handful of rioters” who don’t represent the broader settler public.