Jerusalem — The United States has urged Israel to conduct a thorough investigation into the death of a Palestinian American man who was reportedly beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
In a statement on Tuesday, the U.S. Embassy in Israel expressed deep concern over the incident and called for those responsible to be held accountable.
“We are gravely troubled by the reports of the killing of U.S. citizen Saif Musallam,” the embassy said. “We urge Israeli authorities to investigate this incident thoroughly and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Saif Musallam, 20, a Palestinian American from Florida, was visiting family in the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah, when he was attacked on Friday evening. According to his family, he was severely beaten, and medical assistance was delayed for hours. Musallam died before reaching the hospital.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that it is investigating the incident. The military said that clashes erupted after Palestinians threw rocks at Israelis, resulting in minor injuries. The IDF reported that its forces used non-lethal measures to disperse the confrontations.
Violence in the West Bank has escalated in recent weeks amid heightened tensions following the outbreak of conflict in Gaza. There has been an increase in attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians, as well as Palestinian attacks on Israelis.
The death of Musallam adds to a growing list of Palestinian Americans who have been killed in the region. In recent years, Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and teenager Omar Mohammad Rabea were among those who lost their lives in the West Bank.
The United Nations has declared that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and the expansion of settlements are illegal under international law and should end promptly. Israel disputes these findings, citing security concerns and historical connections to the land captured during the 1967 Middle East war.
The West Bank remains a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Palestinians seeking it as part of a future independent state.
