Israeli soldiers on Tuesday temporarily prevented a member of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, from reaching a Palestinian family’s home in the village of Qusra in the occupied West Bank. The lawmaker, Ofer Cassif, eventually gained access to the home, which was reportedly surrounded by Israeli settlers for 17 days, according to a report from Al Jazeera.
The incident occurred on Aug. 26 when soldiers stationed in the area stopped Cassif as he attempted to approach the residence. Cassif, a member of the Hadash political party, was visiting the village to meet with the Palestinian family. The initial report did not contain a statement from the Israel Defense Forces regarding the reason for denying the lawmaker entry.
The home is located in the northern West Bank, a territory under Israeli military occupation since 1967. According to the original news report, Israeli settlers had maintained a continuous presence around the property for more than two weeks prior to the incident, restricting the family’s movement.
Following the initial obstruction, Cassif was later allowed to pass the military cordon and meet with the residents of the home. The report stated that the purpose of his visit was to show support for the family. No altercations or arrests were reported during the event.
