Qusra village in the occupied West Bank, where Palestinian families have been kept under siege, hosted a delegation of European Union diplomats. The visit to the village, south of Nablus, took place on Sunday after a large-scale attack by Israeli settlers on Saturday.
EU delegation visits homes under siege
The diplomatic delegation inspected the area near three Palestinian homes in Qusra’s Ras al-Ayn district, where settlers have maintained a siege for more than three weeks. The delegation members received information about the living conditions of the families under siege and the problems they face.
Abdulazim al-Wadi, head of the Qusra Village Council, also accompanied the delegation. Al-Wadi called for steps to be taken to protect and support the families, lift the siege, and ensure uninterrupted access to food, water and electricity for the homes.
Al-Wadi said European Union representatives told him they would convey what had happened to diplomatic officials in Brussels.
Several people injured in Saturday’s attack
During Saturday’s events in Qusra, settlers besieged a Palestinian home, threw stones at it and used tear gas. In the clashes that followed, several Palestinians were injured after being exposed to gas and beaten.
Residents of the besieged homes are not leaving because they fear that settlers will take control of the area. The Israeli army has declared the Ras al-Ayn district a military zone.
Netanyahu and Foreign Ministry condemn attacks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned attacks carried out by settlers in the villages of Qusra and Jalud. Netanyahu described the attackers as “a handful of rioters” and said their actions violated the law, obstructed the army’s work and harmed Israel’s standing in the world.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry also condemned the attacks near Qusra, describing them as “criminal acts of violence.” The ministry said the attackers’ actions were completely contrary to Israel’s values and a source of shame for the country.
2,256 attacks recorded in July
The Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission said that the Israeli army and settlers carried out 2,256 attacks against Palestinians, their land and property in July. According to the commission’s data, 1,458 of the attacks were carried out by army forces and 798 by settlers.
While raids and detentions by Israeli forces continue in cities, towns and refugee camps across the occupied West Bank, settler attacks targeting Palestinians and their property have also increased.
