Israeli settlers brutally attacked and killed a 20-year-old American man in the occupied West Bank, while another individual was shot dead during a violent confrontation on Friday, as reported by the Palestinian Health Ministry and the victim’s family.
The victim, Sayfollah Musallet, a U.S. citizen from Tampa, Florida, was visiting his relatives in Sinjil, north of Ramallah, when a group of settlers assaulted him in an attempt to seize his family’s land. According to a statement released by his family, Musallet was subjected to a vicious beating, and medical assistance was delayed for over three hours as settlers obstructed access to him. Tragically, Musallet passed away before reaching the hospital.
The Israeli military claims that the violence erupted after Palestinians threw rocks at Israelis, resulting in minor injuries to two individuals. Musallet was laid to rest alongside Hussein Al-Shalabi, a 23-year-old Palestinian man who was also killed in the same incident.
Described as a kind, hard-working individual deeply connected to his Palestinian heritage, Musallet’s family expressed their devastation at his untimely death and called for an investigation by the U.S. State Department.
The State Department confirmed being aware of the incident but refrained from further comments out of respect for the family. Musallet is among several U.S. citizens who have lost their lives to Israeli military or settler violence in the West Bank in recent years.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations accused the U.S. government of shielding Israel from accountability in such cases, denouncing the pattern of violence against U.S. citizens by Israeli soldiers and settlers as a longstanding issue.
A United Nations report from March highlighted a concerning rise in state-sanctioned settler violence across the West Bank, attributing it to a climate of impunity following a previous attack on Israel by Hamas.
