- Israeli settlers besieged the home of Palestinian American Loui Ridi in the West Bank, causing him to watch the siege unfold via security cameras.
- U.S. ambassador Huckabee condemned the actions as criminal and disgusting, stating there was no excuse for such thuggish behavior.
- The State Department affirmed that consular assistance is available for U.S. citizens in the West Bank and condemned criminal violence by any party.
- The Trump administration has opposed annexation but has not confronted escalating settler violence, notably declining to push for prosecutions in alleged killings of Palestinian Americans.
- Senator Chris Van Hollen and 30 other Senate Democrats urged investigations into the death of American citizen Nasrallah Abu Siyam, the ninth American killed in the West Bank since January 2022.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has taken a strong stance against Israeli settlers, labeling them as 'Israeli terrorists' for their siege on the home of Loui Ridi, a Palestinian American in the West Bank. Huckabee stated that the U.S. requested Israeli security forces to intervene, condemning the actions as criminal and an act of terror.123
The siege, which lasted nearly a week, involved settlers closing off access to Ridi's home, cutting off electricity and water, and setting up a tent in the front yard. Ridi expressed his feelings of helplessness during the ordeal, stating, 'It is terrifying, frustration, fear of my family for their lives.'
The Israeli military responded to the situation by entering the Palestinian village of Qusra to dismantle illegal outposts, following the U.S. request. Huckabee criticized the actions of the settlers, calling them 'disgusting' and 'thuggish', emphasizing that there is 'no excuse for such behavior.'
The State Department reiterated its commitment to the safety of Americans abroad, stating, 'The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans.' They also offered consular assistance to U.S. citizens in the West Bank, highlighting the ongoing violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers, which has resulted in multiple American deaths without accountability.4567
Senator Chris Van Hollen and other lawmakers have urged investigations into these incidents, questioning how many more Americans must die before serious action is taken.89
“The home belonged to Loui Ridi, a Palestinian American in Ohio, who watched via security cameras and said he felt 'terrifying, frustration, fear of my family for their lives.' Separately, Sen. Chris Van Hollen and 30 Democrats urged probes into the killing of American Nasrallah Abu Siyam, the ninth U.S. citizen slain in the West Bank since January 2022.”
