US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Thursday warned extremist Israeli settlers in the West Bank not to steal property owned by Palestinian Americans, adding that those found to have taken part in a siege of homes in the West Bank village of Qusra, including one belonging to a US citizen, could be punished with sanctions.

His message came as a group of Western nations condemned Israeli plans to build in E1, an area of the central West Bank long under contention. The countries warned construction companies that bidding for tenders in the project would be a violation of international law.

Huckabee’s statement is his latest condemnation of settler extremism in recent days, following the Qusra siege. Asked what message US President Donald Trump’s administration has for settlers considering seizing homes or land in the West Bank owned by Palestinian Americans, including one belonging to US citizen Loui Abu Ridi, Huckabee referred to Jewish and Christian scripture.

“I think the message is bigger than just even the Trump administration. It’s a message of basic civility and civilized behavior,” Huckabee said in Jerusalem. “You don’t take something that doesn’t belong to you.”

Citing the Ten Commandments, Huckabee said “Thou shalt not steal” and that people should neither take nor “covet” what belongs to others.

“If someone owns the land and they own their house, then having someone come and take it over and scare the family away from it, that’s a violation, not just of man’s law. That’s a violation of God’s law,” said Huckabee.

Last week, Huckabee had denounced the perpetrators of the Qusra siege as “Israeli terrorists.”

The US ambassador is a longtime supporter of Israel’s settlements, and has said he believes violent settlers are a minority who do not represent the wider settlement community. Those settlers, he said, “just want to raise their families in Judea and Samaria peacefully and with a level of security,” using the biblical name for the territory.

The ambassador said the US is “appalled” by what happened in Qusra. The Palestinian families targeted by Israeli settlers are victims of “inexcusable and repugnant” criminal activity, and those settlers found to have taken part should face significant consequences in Israel, he said.

Huckabee also said that anyone found to be involved could also face US sanctions, such as a ban on entering the US, although he added he is not aware that any such measures are under consideration. The Trump administration has previously opposed such measures, revoking sanctions on violent settlers that were enacted under former president Joe Biden.

Abu Ridi arrived in Qusra late on Monday after traveling from the US, fearing he could lose the property........

© The Times of Israel