Tens of Israeli settlers have ended up breaking into the house of a Palestinian family in the West Bank town of Qusra, after besieging it for weeks, according to the Israeli Army.
For 21 days, the settlers have been constantly surrounding three Palestinian homes in this West Bank town, in a new episode of the increase in their attacks against Palestinian residents in the occupied territory. Israeli forces have established a security cordon in the area, although they initially did not intervene to disperse the settlers.
Among the affected families is, for example, Loui Ridi, a Palestinian-American based in Ohio who decided to travel back to Qusra upon learning of the start of the siege.
Finally, this Saturday, the settlers have ended up "entrenched in the house" with the Palestinian family inside and "have thrown stones at the Palestinian civilian population," the Army has indicated, which has been forced to act to evict the assailants.
According to the military statement, Israeli forces have seized the vehicles used by the settlers, which have been handed over to the Police as evidence for the opening of an investigation.
Palestinian media report that there are eight injured of varying severity after an exchange of stones with the settlers. Some of the injured have been transported by the Palestinian Red Crescent for medical attention.
After what happened, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has "strongly" condemned the "criminal acts of violence" that he attributes to "a handful of rioters." "They cause a serious injustice to the law-abiding Jewish community. They interfere with the work of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) and harm Israel's image in the world," he warned.
Netanyahu has emphasized the "rapid" reaction of the security forces, which confiscated three vehicles and "ended the incident in a short period of time." "I hope that the security forces arrest the rioters and bring them to justice as soon as possible," he added.