The IDF on Tuesday dismissed a reservist commander who, along with his troops, was filmed praying with settlers besieging the Palestinian village of Qusra, rather than removing them from their illegal outpost.

The August 10 footage sparked outcry and additional accusations that Israeli authorities were willfully ignoring settler violence.

The outpost where the troops were filmed praying with the Jewish extremists was later removed, but settlers continued to roam the area freely, despite a closed military zone order issued by the IDF.

Residents of Qusra say the siege that settlers began on August 9 was still effectively in place, as families in several homes on the outskirts of the village are unable to leave without coordinating with the army. They are also afraid to do so, as settlers remain in the area, convinced that the Israeli extremists will take over their homes, as they have after carrying out similar sieges in nearby towns.

On Saturday, dozens of settlers attacked Qusra, temporarily taking over a home while a Palestinian family was inside.

While footage from the attack showed the faces of a number of the settlers involved, no arrests had been made as of Wednesday morning.

אך ביומיים האחרונים האירוע החמיר עם חסימת דרכי הגישה. הוא הוסיף כי הוא מנסה למצוא דרך להוציא את אשתו ובנותיו. אתמול תועדו חיילים מגיעים לסוכה שאותה הקימו המתנחלים ומתפללים איתם. לאחר מכן לפי חסאן הם עזבו את המקום ולא פינו את המתנחלים. פניתי לצה"ל לפני זמן קצר, נאמר לי שבודקים. pic.twitter.com/OTwREJ8zGM — Nurit Yohanan (@nurityohanan) August 10, 2026

אך ביומיים האחרונים האירוע החמיר עם חסימת דרכי הגישה. הוא הוסיף כי הוא מנסה למצוא דרך להוציא את אשתו ובנותיו. אתמול תועדו חיילים מגיעים לסוכה שאותה הקימו המתנחלים ומתפללים איתם. לאחר מכן לפי חסאן הם עזבו את המקום ולא פינו את המתנחלים. פניתי לצה"ל לפני זמן קצר, נאמר לי שבודקים. pic.twitter.com/OTwREJ8zGM

— Nurit Yohanan (@nurityohanan) August 10, 2026

Police on Monday said investigators visited the scene and collected findings and evidence, and took testimony. Police also said they had issued a number of warrants for the suspects “in order to arrest them in order to bring them to justice,” but did not give any details.

Saturday’s rampage, in addition to an attack on a crew of journalists in the nearby Palestinian town of Jalud, drew another wave of international condemnation.

In a Tuesday statement announcing disciplinary measures against the soldiers filmed praying with the settlers at the outpost in Qusra, the army said that the commander on site acted “contrary to what was expected of........

© The Times of Israel