QUSRA, Palestinian Territories: Dozens of Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Qusra in the northern occupied West Bank on Saturday, residents and the military said, after nearly three weeks of tension in the area. Earlier in August, a group of rogue settlers began blocking supplies from entering Palestinian houses on the outskirts of the village near Nablus, trapping residents inside and drawing domestic and international condemnation.
Weeks later, Israeli forces continue to operate in the area while settlers still roam the surrounding hills. On Saturday, Qusra resident Yussef Abdul Kareem Hassan said the settlers then called for backup and returned with dozens more, adding that they had surrounded the Palestinians inside a house and began throwing stones.
The Israeli military said soldiers and border police forces were dispatched following reports that Israeli rioters had arrived in the area and that violent clashes had occurred, including stone-hurling toward Palestinians and additional civilians. The military noted that security measures were heightened to control the volatile situation.
Upon their arrival, the security forces identified dozens of rioters who had barricaded themselves inside a Palestinian home while Palestinian residents were inside, a military statement said, adding that it was aware of reports of Palestinian injuries. Human rights organizations have repeatedly called for accountability regarding settler violence in the occupied territories.