US condemns Israeli settlers as ‘terrorists’ after West Bank attack Huckabee delivers extraordinary rebuke as tensions between Trump and Netanyahu growThe United States has delivered an extraordinary condemnation of Israeli settlers accused of besieging and attacking an American Palestinian family in the occupied West Bank, with US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee describing their actions as a “horrific act of terror.”Jewish settlers had gathered around homes in the village of Qusra since Sunday, reportedly harassing residents and preventing people inside from leaving as food and water supplies dwindled. The unusually strong intervention comes as relations between Donald Trump's administration and Benjamin Netanyahu's government appear increasingly strained. Huckabee calls settlers ‘Israeli terrorists’Huckabee, a longstanding supporter of Israel and its settler movement, said Israeli police and the Israel Defense Forces had removed what he called “the Israeli terrorists” after the US Embassy requested action. “The actions of those doing this to this family’s home is criminal,” Huckabee said. He described the incident as a “horrific act of terror” intended to intimidate and harass the family, adding: “No excuse for such thuggish behavior.” The language is striking coming from an ambassador who has historically been strongly supportive of Israel and has previously backed Israeli control over parts of the occupied West Bank. American Palestinian family trapped insideThe incident centred on three homes in Qusra, including the property of Palestinian American Loui Ridi, according to local officials and members of the family. The settlers reportedly numbered in the dozens at times, throwing stones, attempting to bring down a nearby stone wall and preventing residents from leaving. The confrontation continued despite attempts by the Israeli military to bring the situation under control. On Thursday, Ridi's brother, Qusai Abu Rida, said he had taken refuge inside the house with his teenage son in an attempt to defend it. The Israeli military eventually moved them to another home, but they remained unable to leave the area. Rare US rebuke of Israeli settlersThe episode places Washington in an unusual position. Huckabee did defend the actions of the Israeli military and said the IDF and police had responded after the US Embassy raised the matter. But his description of the attackers as “Israeli terrorists” represents an exceptionally blunt public condemnation of Israeli settlers by a senior American official. It also demonstrates that the Trump administration is prepared to draw a line between its support for Israel and actions by elements of the Israeli settler movement. Netanyahu facing pressure from WashingtonThe incident comes amid growing reports of tensions between Trump and Netanyahu over the direction of the war and the wider Middle East crisis. Trump has increasingly pushed for an end to the Gaza conflict and has shown impatience with Israeli decisions that complicate his broader regional strategy. Netanyahu, meanwhile, faces pressure from his own political allies and from the hardline elements of his coalition, many of whom strongly support the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. The dispute over Qusra therefore arrives at a particularly sensitive moment. A warning from Trump's ambassadorHuckabee's intervention is unlikely to be dismissed as coming from an administration hostile to Israel. Quite the opposite. He has been one of Israel's prominent American supporters, making his decision to publicly label the alleged attackers “terrorists” all the more significant. The Trump administration has not abandoned Israel — but this incident sends a clear message that Washington's support does not amount to a blank cheque for settler violence. And with the Trump-Netanyahu relationship already under growing strain, the extraordinary public rebuke could become another indication that the alliance is entering a considerably more complicated phase. SOURCE
