US officials said set to tour West Bank village that’s been besieged by settler extremists

A delegation of senior American officials intends to go to the West Bank village of Qusra in the next few days, where violent settlers have besieged Palestinians residents, to see for themselves what’s going on there, Channel 12 reports.

The US has reportedly asked that senior Israeli defense officials join them at the village south of Nablus, to explain what is going on there, and how they plan to tackle the broad spiraling phenomenon of Jewish settler violence. US envoy Jared Kushner is due in Israel tomorrow, though there was no suggestion in the report that he is set to join the trip.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee last week condemned the violent settlers at Qusra as “Israeli terrorists.”

As of earlier today, settlers were near but not inside the village, where residents said the IDF had been deployed but was still not allowing them back to some homes.

The TV report says the IDF has given Israel Police “dozens of photos” of those who invaded the village and carried out violence there, so that the police will track and arrest them. However, the police have said that the IDF’s material does not specify what the photographed suspects did, and thus does not constitute a basis for arrest.

Defense Minister Israel Katz, in November 2024, barred the administrative detention of Jews suspected of violence and terrorism, and subsequently ordered the release of such suspects. Two weeks ago, he boasted that he had ceased signing off on administrative detention orders for Jews, while confirming that he has continued to sign them for West Bank Palestinian suspects, and has introduced their use against Israeli Arabs.

The TV report said the Shin Bet is working to compile enough material to charge the suspects in the Qusra attacks.