US ambassador denounces settler siege as Israel dispatches troops

AI Summary

Israeli forces acted against settlers who had blockaded Palestinian homes near Nablus, including one owned by a US citizen. The US ambassador to Israel condemned the settlers' actions, calling their behavior unjustifiable amidst heightened tensions in the West Bank.

Israeli forces on Thursday moved against rogue settlers who have besieged Palestinians amid unusually strong US criticism, even as Israel inaugurated a major settlement elsewhere in the West Bank. Settlers near Nablus since Sunday have blockaded Palestinian homes, including one owned by a US citizen, with residents saying they have been cut off from food and other supplies. The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, for years a staunch supporter of settlers,  said there was "no excuse for such thuggish behaviour".