Palestinians Asked for Help Against Settlers. Israelis Detained Palestinian Workers Instead.

QUSRA, WEST BANK, PALESTINE - AUGUST 20: Israeli army soldiers patrol as Palestinian residents remain confined inside their homes in the village of Qusra, south of Nablus in the West Bank, on August 20, 2026, after the Israeli military declared three residential properties a 'closed military zone' following repeated attacks and blockade by Israeli settlers. The restrictions began on Aug. 9, when settlers surrounded the homes and limited residents' movement and access to food, water and electricity. The 13-day blockade, which affects a home owned by Palestinian-American Loui Ridi, has drawn international attention, leading U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, a long-time supporter of West Bank settlements, to issue a rare statement condemning the actions of the extremist settlers and describing them as 'terrorists' as local families appeal for an immediate end to the military isolation. Ridi said Huckabee's remarks were a positive step but had not changed conditions on the ground, and called on the US government to provide protection for him and his family. (Photo by Issam Rimawi/Anadolu via Getty Images)

In the besieged West Bank village of Qusra, the workers were building a fence for keeping settlers out. Soldiers allowed the settlers to trespass.

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