Israeli settler extremist confronts Palestinian-American at his besieged West Bank home

Palestinian-American Loui Ridi raised a US flag over his West Bank home in Kusra to deter settlers who have besieged three homes for over a week. On Tuesday, a settler entered his property, leading to a tense confrontation filmed by Reuters. An IDF soldier told the settler it was a closed military area, and he eventually left. Ridi's neighbor Ibrahim Hassan said he was beaten by settlers last month. US officials estimate tens of thousands of Americans live in the West Bank. US Ambassador Mike Huckabee condemned the settlers as 'Israeli terrorists.' White House officials are pressing PM Netanyahu to condemn the settlers.

Loui Ridi, a Palestinian-American, raised a giant American flag over his West Bank home in Kusra, hoping to deter extremist settlers who have besieged three Palestinian homes in the village for over a week. On Tuesday, a settler walked onto Ridi's property, leading to a tense face-off that was filmed by Reuters. The settler, holding what appeared to be a Torah, approached Ridi and asked, "You came to make a mess, ha?" Ridi responded, "You are a terrorist settler, you know that?" An IDF vehicle drove by, and soldiers told the settler it was a closed military area. The settler eventually retreated up the road. Ridi told the soldiers the settler's presence was illegal and he should be arrested. The confrontation highlights tensions in the village, where settlers have been besieging homes as part of what rights groups say is a wider effort to seize land. Ridi's neighbor, Ibrahim Hassan, said he was forced to flee his home last month after settlers smashed his windows and beat him. US officials estimate tens of thousands of Americans live in the West Bank. In nearby Turmus Ayya, 80% of the population holds US citizenship. US Ambassador Mike Huckabee condemned the settlers as "Israeli terrorists." White House officials are pressing PM Netanyahu to condemn the settlers' actions, but Netanyahu has not commented.