Palestinian American Loui Ridi raised a giant American flag over his West Bank home, hoping it might deter militant settlers besieging the property. But it wasn't enough to stop one of them from walking onto Ridi's land on Tuesday (August 18), during a tense face-off.

Ridi arrived in Qusra late on Monday after travelling from the U.S., fearing he could lose the property to Jewish settlers who have encircled three Palestinian homes in the village for more than a week, prompting U.S. condemnation.

The Israeli military has said it has deployed forces in the area to try to rein in the settlers and maintain security for residents.

But with settlers still outside, the families are afraid to leave their homes. Ridi hoisted the U.S. flag over his property after arriving.

"I decided I want to raise this flag. If, God forbid, I'm unable to protect this house and the settlers end up here, they're going to raise (their) flag. But before they raise their flag, they have to move the American flag, and that's the message."

Violence by Jewish settlers in the West Bank has been on the rise, some emboldened by the government of right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has spearheaded a massive settlement expansion.

U.S. officials have estimated that tens of thousands of Americans live in the occupied West Bank, many of them in a cluster of villages between Ramallah and Nablus, where Qusra lies.

In the nearby village of Turmus Ayya, about 7 km (4.3 miles) southwest of Qusra, local officials say that 80% of the town's population holds U.S. citizenship.

The U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee — a strong supporter of Jewish settlement in the West Bank — on Thursday condemned settlers besieging Ridi's home as "Israeli terrorists".

A U.S. official and an Israeli official said on Friday White House officials are pressing Netanyahu to publicly condemn the settlers' actions.

Netanyahu has not commented on the siege in Qusra.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

'I fear for my life,' says Palestinian American as settlers threaten West Bank home

VIDEO SHOWS: INTERVIEW WITH PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN LOUI RIDI, WHOSE HOME IN THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK HAS BEEN ENCIRCLED BY MILITANT SETTLERS FOR OVER A WEEK / VIDEOS SHOWING RIDI RAISING AMERICAN FLAG

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: QUSRA, WEST BANK (AUGUST 18, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF AMERICAN FLAG ON WEST BANK HOME

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN WHOSE HOME IN THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK HAS BEEN ENCIRCLED BY MILITANT SETTLERS FOR OVER A WEEK, LOUI RIDI, SAYING:

"I came here to be present with him (referring to his brother). I left my luxury home in America. I left my luxury vehicles in America. I left my wife, my two daughters. I left my business and decided to be here at my home to protect it from the settlers, to steal it. And raising the American flag to send a message to the American embassy and the U.S. officials that I am currently under siege, and I need protection."

QUSRA, WEST BANK (AUGUST 17, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

3. PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN WHOSE HOME IN THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK HAS BEEN ENCIRCLED BY MILITANT SETTLERS FOR OVER A WEEK, LOUI RIDI, UNPACKING AMERICAN FLAG FROM CAR

4. ISRAELI SOLDIERS OUTSIDE RIDI'S HOME

5. VARIOUS OF LOUI RIDI RAISING AMERICAN FLAG OVER HIS HOUSE

QUSRA, WEST BANK (AUGUST 18, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN WHOSE HOME IN THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK HAS BEEN ENCIRCLED BY MILITANT SETTLERS FOR OVER A WEEK, LOUI RIDI, SAYING:

"I reached to the point last Sunday when my brother was under siege, and when he called the IDF, and they went straight to the tent down there and conducted a prayer, I lost hope, and we were just, a few feet away from those settlers to take over the house. And from my experience and the other houses nearby, the Toubassi's family, they took over his house, and the first thing they raised was the yellow flag - the settlers flag. So I decided, I want to raise this flag. If, God forbid, if I'm unable to protect this house and the settlers end up here, they're going to raise a flag. But before they raise their flag, they have to remove the American flag. And that's the message to the, U.S. embassy, to the U.S. officials that I've been seeking for help. I've been saying that I fear for my life, I fear for my family's life, I need help, I need protection, and that's why I have it here."

QUSRA, WEST BANK (AUGUST 17, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

7. ISRAELI SOLDIERS AT SCENE

8. WHITE TENT FOR SOLDIERS TO WATCH