Dozens of Israeli settlers descended on the Palestinian villages of Qusra and Jalud in the northern occupied West Bank, throwing stones at residents and barricading themselves inside a home with Palestinians inside. Israeli forces and border police were dispatched to the area to separate the groups and confiscate vehicles suspected of being used to reach the site.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned what he called 'the criminal acts of violence' in Qusra and Jalud, saying the rioters were 'interfering with the IDF in carrying out its missions and harming Israel's standing in the world.' President Isaac Herzog also condemned the attack, and Israel's foreign ministry called it 'a disgrace.'
The attack followed nearly three weeks of tension in the area, during which settlers had blocked supplies from entering Palestinian homes on the outskirts of Qusra, drawing criticism from the US ambassador. More than 500,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements, which are illegal under international law, among roughly three million Palestinians.