Deadly Assault on US-Palestinians in the West Bank: Relatives Demand U.S. Inquiry - U.S. Citizen Suffers Fatal Beating in West Bank: Family Demands American Inquiry
The U.S. Department of State is currently investigating the death of Saif al-Din Kamel Abdul Karim Musallat, a Palestinian-American who was killed in the West Bank village of Sinjil on July 11, 2025. Musallat, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen born and raised in Florida, was fatally beaten during a confrontation involving Israeli settlers who allegedly prevented Palestinians from accessing their private land near a settler outpost.
The incident occurred amid rising tensions in the West Bank, with increased attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian civilians since the start of the Gaza war in 2023. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that "terrorists" threw stones at Israeli civilians near Sinjil, injuring two Israelis lightly, which they linked to the violent events. However, the U.S. State Department has only confirmed awareness of reports of a U.S. citizen’s death but has not publicly confirmed detailed findings or the identities involved so far.
The village of Sinjil, north of Ramallah, has been a site of clashes between settlers and Palestinians in recent times. AFP journalists had reported clashes between settlers and Palestinians in Sinjil the previous week. The construction of Jewish settlements in the West Bank has accelerated in recent years, leading to increased disputes over land ownership and access.
The family of Musallat alleges that settlers prevented an ambulance from reaching the injured Musallat, leading to his death before he could be taken to a hospital. According to Palestinian reports, at least 955 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since then, including civilians. However, according to Israeli reports, at least 36 people have been killed in Palestinian attacks, including soldiers and civilians.
The West Bank has been occupied by Israel since the end of the Six-Day War in 1967. The ongoing violence highlights the contentious and dangerous dynamics between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the occupied territories. The U.S. Department of State has yet to make an official statement regarding the recent violence in the West Bank.
This case is under close watch due to the victim’s U.S. citizenship and the political sensitivities involved. The family of Musallat has called for a formal State Department probe into the killing, demanding justice for their loved one. The incident marks a significant escalation, as it is the first death of a Palestinian-American in the West Bank since President Trump took office in 2017, a period during which some sanctions on settlers had been lifted.
References: [1] Associated Press (2025). U.S. citizen killed in West Bank clashes. [online] Available at:
- Amid the ongoing political sensitivities and escalating violence in the West Bank, the family of Saif al-Din Kamel Abdul Karim Musallat, a Palestinian-American fatally beaten in Sinjil, has demanded a formal US State Department investigation into his death.
- The crime-and-justice news and politics sectors are closely monitoring the case of Musallat's death in the West Bank, as it marks a significant escalation, being the first death of a Palestinian-American in the region since President Trump took office in 2017.
