US Envoy Calls Israeli Settler Home Seizures ‘Horrific Act Of Terror’

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has described the reported seizure of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank as a "horrific act of terror", after Israeli forces entered the town of Qusra near Nablus.

Huckabee criticised the incident in posts on X, condemning the reported treatment of Palestinian residents and calling for action over the developments.

According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, Israeli forces entered Qusra early Thursday with military vehicles and a bulldozer, forcing residents of two homes in the Ras al-Ain area to leave. Israeli forces also reportedly turned 16 other homes in the town into military barracks. Local sources cited by WAFA said more than 1,000 Israeli soldiers had entered the town.

What Happened In Qusra

The two homes evacuated by Israeli forces belonged to Yousef Hassan and Qusay Abu Rida. The forces then deployed across western and southern parts of Qusra, according to local sources cited by the agency.

The reported conversion of residential properties into military positions adds to broader concerns over the impact of Israeli military and settler activity on Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

Rising Settler Violence

The incident comes amid a wider increase in violence and intimidation targeting Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank.

A rise in attacks by Israeli settlers has been documented which includes assaults, arson, property destruction and attacks on Palestinian communities, alongside concerns over inadequate accountability for perpetrators.

Huckabee's remarks mark a notable intervention given his position as the US ambassador to Israel, particularly as Washington remains a key diplomatic and military partner of Israel. The latest incident in Qusra has added to international scrutiny of conditions facing Palestinian communities in the West Bank, where military operations, settlement activity and settler violence continue to overlap.