IDF dismisses reservist commander who prayed with settlers besieging Qusra; still no arrests from latest attack

The IDF says it has dismissed a reservist commander who, along with his troops, joined settlers for prayers at an illegal outpost set up in the West Bank Palestinian village of Qusra last month, rather than removing them from the site.

The commander had acted “contrary to what was expected of him and contrary to the instructions given to him,” the military says.

Footage had shown soldiers arriving at the structure illegally erected by settlers in Qusra on August 10, and praying with them.

An IDF inquiry into the conduct of the troops during the incident was wrapped up today.

“The inquiry found that this was a reserve force that acted in accordance with the instructions of the force commander, who led the activity contrary to what was expected of him and contrary to the instructions given to him,” the IDF says in response to a query.

The military says that the troops were sent to the area to be a barrier between the settlers and Palestinian residents, “and to refrain from carrying out actions that could be interpreted as identification with or support for illegal activity at an outpost that had caused harm.”

Following the inquiry, the IDF says that it was decided to remove the commander from his role. Should the reservist express a desire to continue serving, he would be allowed to do so in a non-command role, according to a military source.

The other troops seen praying had “acted in accordance with their commander’s instructions, and therefore it was decided not to take action against them,” the IDF adds.

אך ביומיים האחרונים האירוע החמיר עם חסימת דרכי הגישה. הוא הוסיף כי הוא מנסה למצוא דרך להוציא את אשתו ובנותיו. אתמול תועדו חיילים מגיעים לסוכה שאותה הקימו המתנחלים ומתפללים איתם. לאחר מכן לפי חסאן הם עזבו את המקום ולא פינו את המתנחלים. פניתי לצה"ל לפני זמן קצר, נאמר לי שבודקים. pic.twitter.com/OTwREJ8zGM

— Nurit Yohanan (@nurityohanan) August 10, 2026

Meanwhile, as of this evening, there have still been no arrests made in connection with the latest settler attack on Qusra on Saturday, even though footage showed the faces of a number of those involved.

Police yesterday said investigators visited the scene and collected findings and evidence, and took testimony. Police also said they had issued a number of warrants for the suspects “in order to arrest them in order to bring them to justice,” but did not give any details.

Hebrew media said eight warrants had been issued.

The attack, in which dozens of settlers descended on the town from a nearby hillside and occupied a Palestinian home there, was the latest in a string of assaults on the village, which was besieged by settlers in recent weeks, and took place amid a months-long surge in settler violence.

Saturday’s attack, in addition to an attack on a crew of journalists in the nearby Palestinian town of Jalud, has drawn international condemnation.