Palestinian Americans turn to US flags to protect West Bank homes

Palestinian Americans in the occupied West Bank are displaying US flags and installing razor wire and metal fences around their homes as they seek protection from attacks by Israeli settlers. Al Jazeera reported the measures on 3 November 2026. Residents hope that making their US citizenship visible will deter attackers and draw attention from American officials, but the flags offer no guarantee of safety.

The concern predates this report. In August, Reuters documented how Loui Ridi raised a large US flag over his home in Qusra after settlers surrounded nearby properties; a settler subsequently entered his land. In nearby Turmus Ayya, residents also described flying US flags for protection. The US ambassador to Israel later condemned violent settler actions during a visit to the village and said alleged crimes required investigation by Israeli authorities. The accounts show why some families have turned to both physical barriers and a public appeal to their other country of citizenship.