Sayfollah Musallet, a 20-year-old Palestinian-American, was shot and killed in the West Bank on Friday. His death was reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health and corroborated by eyewitness accounts. His death was a result of what was claimed to be an Israeli settler attack in the village of Sinjil, north of Ramallah. The violence took Musallet’s life and injured ten other people in that same incident.
Musallet had been traveling to visit family and friends in the West Bank since June 4th. He operated an auto repair shop in Tampa Bay, Florida. Now, his family is calling on the U.S. State Department to initiate a complete investigation into his death.
The circumstances surrounding Musallet’s killing are alarming. The Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that he “was martyred after being severely beaten all over his body by settlers.” Musallet wasn’t the only fatality in the targeted attack. A second Palestinian man was shot dead, succumbing to a gunshot wound to the chest.
The Israeli military later said its forces reached the scene only as the settlers were attacking. This timing made it even more difficult for paramedics and volunteers to provide help to the injured. This incident is a manifestation of a much larger and dangerous trend. Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians has escalated in the occupied territory. The Israeli government has recently intensified military operations in the West Bank, resulting in the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians, with officials claiming these actions target militants operating in the area.
So far, the U.S. State Department has confirmed the incident without elaborating further.
“We are devastated that our beloved Sayfollah Musallet (nicknamed Saif) was brutally beaten to death by Israeli settlers while he was protecting his family’s land from settlers who were attempting to steal it.” – Musallet’s family
This attack was not an isolated incident, but rather part of a pattern of violent attacks against American citizens in the West Bank. Israeli occupation authorities shot and killed a 14 year-old boy last April. Undercover officers shot and killed a 26-year-old woman during a protest against an Israeli settlement earlier this September.
“Out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones during this difficult time, we have no further comment.” – US State Department spokesperson
This incident is not isolated; it follows a pattern of violence against American citizens in the West Bank. A 14-year-old boy was shot dead by Israeli military personnel last April, and a 26-year-old woman was killed during a protest against an Israeli settlement in September.
