- Louai Abu Ridi, who owns one of three houses in Qusra, near Nablus in the occupied West Bank, flew back from his adopted home of Ohio on Monday after settlers trapped residents inside and refused to let in food or other supplies for more than a week.
- On his first day back, Ridi was told to go back inside because the area was a closed military zone.
- Ridi expressed concerns about his safety, stating he can’t go out to buy groceries without permission and fears that settlers could ramp up attacks on his home after Israeli soldiers leave.
- Ridi yelled at a settler to get off his property and pleaded with soldiers to remove them, stating, “As soon as (Israeli soldiers) leave — like if they leave today — probably on the same day or a couple hours later, the settlers may come back and build the same tent in front of my house.”
- Under US pressure, the Israeli military said last week it had given orders to remove the settlers.
- US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, an evangelical pastor who has long supported settlers, has offered rare criticism over the Qusra siege and said he had asked Israel to intervene.
- "We would like to see severe consequences for people who engage in -- and I'll use the term -- terrorist activity," Huckabee told Channel 13.
- "It's not fair to the families who are Palestinian, who own their homes, who have a right to raise their families without fear," said Huckabee, who before becoming ambassador had rejected the term Palestinian.
Louai Abu Ridi, a Palestinian American, returned to his home in Qusra, West Bank, after a week-long siege by Israeli settlers. Upon arrival, he confronted the settlers, demanding their removal, but was told to stay inside as the area was declared a closed military zone.12911
Ridi expressed his frustration, stating, “As soon as (Israeli soldiers) leave — like if they leave today — probably on the same day or a couple hours later, the settlers may come back and build the same tent in front of my house.” He fears for his safety and has been unable to buy groceries without permission, pleading for U.S. assistance to ensure he can access supplies.567
The siege has drawn international condemnation, with U.S. officials, including Ambassador Mike Huckabee, criticizing the situation. Huckabee stated, “It’s not fair to the families who are Palestinian, who own their homes, who have a right to raise their families without fear.” Under U.S. pressure, the Israeli military has reportedly ordered the removal of the settlers, but Ridi remains skeptical about their safety once soldiers leave.810
Ridi raised the U.S. flag at his besieged home, aiming to draw attention to the plight of Palestinians in the West Bank. He emphasized, “It's my message to all Americans in the United States to see what's going on here in the West Bank, how the settlers put us under siege trying to take my own house in the West Bank.”
“Ridi expressed that he can't go out to buy groceries without permission and fears settlers may ramp up attacks on his home after Israeli soldiers leave. Under US pressure, the Israeli military stated it had given orders to remove the settlers, while US Ambassador Mike Huckabee criticized the siege and called for consequences for those engaging in terrorist activity.”
