JERUSALEM, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Israel's military chief ordered an infantry battalion to the occupied West Bank on Wednesday after troops and police failed to disperse settlers who have blockaded a Palestinian home for several days.
The settlers began the siege on Sunday in the village of Qusra, south of Nablus, erecting a makeshift structure in the yard of a Palestinian family and preventing essential supplies from reaching the home.
More settlers joined the protest on Wednesday as military and Border Police forces attempted to disperse them.
Israel's Haaretz newspaper released video footage showing that clashes broke out and reported that the forces withdrew several hours later.
Following an additional security assessment, military chief Eyal Zamir ordered efforts to "strengthen order and operational control in the area" to continue and directed that an additional infantry battalion be sent to reinforce the sector, the military said.
Violence by Israeli settlers and security forces in the West Bank, home to about 3.4 million Palestinians, has risen sharply since the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in October 2023 and Israel's ensuing military operation in Gaza.
At least 1,122 Palestinians had been killed in the West Bank since October 2023, including 76 in 2026, according to data released by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in July.
Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 war and has established settlements there, which are widely considered illegal under international law. ■
