West Bank settler siege: US-Palestinian asks US help

Palestinian-American homeowner Louai Abu Ridi said Monday he feared for his safety as he returned to a house in Qusra, near Nablus, that has been besieged by Israeli settlers.

Abu Ridi owns one of three houses in the occupied West Bank village where settlers began blocking residents more than a week ago. His brother, Qusai Abu Ridi, is still inside the house and has been relaying the situation to people outside.

After landing at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Louai Abu Ridi said he hoped to stay in the house on Monday night but was “terrified”. He asked US officials and the US embassy to provide protection.

“I can’t let the settlers steal my house while I was watching,” he told reporters.

Qusai Abu Ridi shared videos with AFP on Monday that showed settlers riding quad bikes near the house while Israeli forces were stationed outside.

Louai Abu Ridi criticised the Israeli military’s failure to remove the settlers and called for action on the ground.

US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee wrote on X on Thursday that the people who carried out what he called a “horrific act of terror” against the family were “disgusting”.