US ambassador labels West Bank settler violence as ‘Israeli terrorism’ amid surge in attacks
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz delivers speech at opening of the Ganim settlement in the West Bank, 20 years after it was evacuated
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has condemned violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank as “Israeli terrorists,” vowing that Washington is pressuring the Israeli military to prevent “anarchy” in the region.
Huckabee’s remarks follow a wave of settler attacks against Palestinians, including over recent days in the town of Qusra, which he called “horrific acts of terror.”
In a post on X, Huckabee said the US has been “VERY involved” in efforts to end the siege, adding: “The IDF & Israel Police have gone at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this.
“Actions by those who carried out this horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family are disgusting. No excuse for such thuggish behaviour.”
On Thursday, the IDF reversed an earlier decision to evacuate Palestinians besieged by settlers in Qusra, after six families had already left their homes.
The army now says its forces are there to protect residents and that villagers would be allowed to remain in their homes, although troops may enter uninhabited buildings.
The violence comes as Israel officially reopened the Ganim settlement in the occupied West Bank, more than 20 years after its evacuation as part of the 2005 disengagement plan.
Defence Minister Israel Katz attended the ceremony, declaring, “Here, this is the Land of Israel. Here, we are staying forever.”
At the Sa-Nur ceremony, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the government was “cancelling the disgrace of the expulsion and killing the idea of a Palestinian state.”
He said the approval of Sa-Nur was “only the beginning” of the government’s efforts to reverse the disengagement.
Katz also said the move was intended to strengthen the settlements and prevent Palestinians from establishing a presence in the area.
Critics have accused the government and law enforcement of turning a blind eye to violent attacks by settler extremists, which have become increasingly deadly in recent years and occur on a near-daily basis. Arrests are rare and prosecutions even less common.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has funneled millions of dollars into the illegal outposts, where many of the perpetrators of attacks on Palestinians live.
Recent figures highlight a sharp increase in settler violence: a report by Israel’s Kan public broadcaster revealed that “nationalistic crime” by extremist Jewish settlers surged by 63% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year, with 660 attacks recorded.
Offences classified as terrorism and attacks on Israeli security forces have also increased, as have Palestinian casualties, with 140 wounded and six killed so far this year.