The United States is pressing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly condemn Jewish settlers accused of besieging Palestinian homes in the West Bank, according to U.S. and Israeli officials.
The pressure comes after settlers surrounded three homes in the village of Qusra, cutting off water and electricity and restricting residents’ movement.
The standoff has lasted nearly a week.
U.S. officials began raising concerns after learning that one of the homes belongs to a Palestinian American, according to two officials familiar with the matter.
Washington’s ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, strongly criticised the settlers on Thursday, describing them as “Israeli terrorists”.
Netanyahu has not publicly commented on the siege. His office and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The issue puts Netanyahu in a difficult political position. His right-wing governing coalition depends partly on support from settlers and their allies, with elections approaching.
Residents say they remain fearful as settlers continue to gather around their homes.
“We are very afraid,” Aysha Hassan, who lives in one of the three houses, told Reuters by phone.
“There is nothing new. It’s been like this for six days... the settlers are still here.”
The United Nations has said around 15 Palestinians, including two children, have been trapped inside the homes without running water or electricity.
Israeli and foreign activists brought food and bottled water to the area on Friday. However, Israeli soldiers prevented them from delivering the supplies directly, saying the area was a closed military zone.
Residents were later allowed to collect the aid from outside and take it into their homes.
The Israeli military said settlers had erected a new tent near the homes and that soldiers removed it while protecting local residents.
Footage obtained by Reuters showed settlers gathered around the tent, with one man appearing to throw stones towards the village.
The military has also deployed troops to Qusra, saying they are there to protect residents and maintain security.
Earlier footage appeared to show Israeli men wearing military clothing praying alongside settlers. The army said it was taking disciplinary action against any personnel involved.
The events in Qusra come amid growing concern over settler violence and land seizures across the West Bank.
Rights groups say settlers are seeking to take control of land around Qusra and nearby Jalud, potentially linking existing outposts and settlements.
Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war. The territory is now home to around three million Palestinians and 500,000 Israeli settlers, according to figures cited by Peace Now.
Netanyahu’s government has overseen a rapid expansion of Israeli settlements in the territory, which Palestinians seek as part of a future independent state.
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