Palestinians say settlers want to ‘expel us, kill us’ as Jewish extremists return to Kusra

On Saturday, approximately 15 settlers re-entered the Palestinian village of Kusra near Nablus, an area declared a closed military zone by the IDF. IDF troops arrived and read the order, prompting the settlers to leave. Palestinian residents, including Marmar Odeh, expressed ongoing fear, stating, “They want to expel us, they want to kill us.” Odeh described erecting fences and bars on his home for protection, noting “Death to Arabs” spray-painted nearby. Human rights groups allege extremist settlers are attempting to seize more land. The IDF is investigating its response, including why it took 48 hours to evacuate an illegal outpost and why settlers were not removed a second time after returning. A military spokesperson stated, “This was a serious incident, and it will be investigated.” The probe will also examine the evacuation of Palestinian families. Tensions escalated after settlers physically confronted IDF soldiers during an outpost evacuation. A senior military official indicated that forces refrained from arresting settlers because “they are released after a short time anyway.”