The US administration under President Donald Trump has urged Israel to investigate the killing of 20-year-old American citizen Sayfollah Musallet, who was beaten to death by settlers in the occupied West Bank. The incident has been termed a “terrorist act” by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who demanded an aggressive investigation into the matter. “There must be accountability for this criminal and terrorist act,” Huckabee stated, emphasizing the need for justice in the case.
Musallet’s killing has sparked widespread criticism, with many questioning Israel’s ability to hold its settlers and soldiers accountable for abuses against Palestinians. The young Palestinian American was visiting family in the West Bank when he was attacked in the town of Sinjil. According to his family, a mob of settlers surrounded him for three hours, preventing medics from reaching him. This account contradicts the Israeli military’s claim that the violence started with rock-throwing by Palestinians, which led to clashes between the two groups.
The incident has drawn attention to the escalating violence in the West Bank, where Israeli settlers have been intensifying their attacks on Palestinian communities since the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023. These settlers, often protected by the Israeli military, have been known to ransack homes, cars, and farms, and attack anyone standing in their way. Several Western countries have imposed sanctions on far-right Israeli officials and groups over settler violence, but Trump lifted these sanctions earlier this year.
The US provides Israel with billions of dollars in military aid annually, which has raised concerns about the country’s accountability in such incidents. Critics argue that Israel rarely holds its settlers or soldiers accountable for abuses against Palestinians. Musallet’s case is particularly significant, as he was the ninth US citizen to be killed by Israel since 2022, with none of the previous cases leading to criminal charges.
The Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU) Policy Project has questioned Israel’s ability to investigate itself, given its history of enabling extremist settlers. “Israel should not be trusted to investigate the extremist settlers it enables at every turn,” the group said, renewing calls for an independent US probe into the killing.
In response to the incident, several Congress members have demanded accountability for Musallet’s killing. “The Israeli government must thoroughly investigate this killing and hold any and all settlers responsible for the brutal death of Mr. Musallet accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. Similarly, Congressman Maxwell Frost condemned the “cold-blooded murder” and emphasized Trump’s moral and constitutional obligation to direct the State Department to conduct a thorough investigation.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has also called on Florida’s Republican politicians, including Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, to condemn the killing. CAIR’s statement highlighted the officials’ silence on the matter, saying it amounts to complicity. “When American citizens like Saif are killed overseas, especially by Israeli settlers backed by the Israeli government, looking the other way sends a dangerous message: that some American lives simply don’t matter,” CAIR said, demanding better accountability and justice for Musallet’s family.