29 Senators Demand Investigation Into Israeli Killing of American in West Bank

Over two dozen Senate Democrats are demanding that the Trump administration lead an independent investigation into the killing of Palestinian American Sayfollah Musallet by Israeli settlers earlier this month, calling out the U.S. government’s historic failure to act on other Israeli killings of Americans like Shireen Abu Akleh and Ayșenur Ezgi Eygi.

In a letter sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday, the lawmakers note that Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank has reached new heights amid Israel’s genocide in Gaza. The Trump administration has not only refused to condemn such violence, but has fueled it, empowering settler groups previously sanctioned by the Biden administration.

Since 2022, at least seven American citizens have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank, but the U.S. government has refused to investigate those deaths, instead deferring to Israel’s own shoddy probes into the killings.

“The Netanyahu government has failed to hold anyone accountable for any of these seven killings of Americans and the United States government has failed in its responsibility to protect American citizens overseas and demand justice for their deaths,” the letter says. “It is long past time for the U.S. government to demand accountability in these killings of Americans.”

The letter effort was led by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (Maryland), and was signed by 28 other Democrats, including left-leaning senators like Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Ed Markey (Massachusetts).

Musallet was beaten to death by Israeli settlers when visiting the town where his family owns land on July 11. Soldiers and settlers, who are expressly backed by the Israeli government and military, blocked ambulances from reaching Musallet and Mohammad al-Shalabi, another Palestinian shot by settlers, for hours. Musallet died from his injuries before he was able to be brought to the hospital by his brother.

Musallet was just 20 years old, and ran an ice cream shop in Florida with his family.

The lawmakers also asked the government to provide an update on the six other Americans killed in the occupied West Bank since 2022. This includes three children: 14-year-old Amer Mohammed Saada Rabee, 17-year-old Tawfiq Ajaq, and 17-year-old Mohammad Khdour.

The Israeli military and settlers have killed numerous Americans with impunity. The military has a history of quickly releasing results of a supposed investigation clearing itself of any blame, often saying the killing was an accident — claims that are then parroted by U.S. officials. None of these killings have resulted in accountability for those responsible.

Musallet’s family has demanded that the U.S. do its own investigation into his killing. U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has said that he has asked Israel to “aggressively investigate” Musallet’s death, following previous patterns of impunity. Israel police have said that they are investigating the killing.

“Saif was a brother and a son, just starting the prime of his life. He was a kind, hard-working, and deeply-respected young man,” Musallet’s family said. “This is an unimaginable nightmare and an injustice that no family should ever have to face.”