DeSantis says he has no information, comment on Floridian reportedly murdered in Israel
Saif al-Din Musalat, also known as Sayfollah Musallet, was born in Florida and raised in Port Charlotte, according to the Florida Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Florida), a Muslim advocacy organization. The Israeli newspapers Haaretz and The Times of Israel reported that Musallet was in the West Bank visiting family. He was one of two Palestinians attacked by a mob of Israeli settlers in the town of Sinjil on Friday during a confrontation, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Reuters reported that Musallet, 20, was severely beaten and that Hussein Al-Shalabi, 23, was shot in the chest.
'I don't have any information on it,' DeSantis said to an inquiry by the Herald-Tribune at the New College of Florida press event. 'I've heard different reports on it, but I just don't have any information. Quite frankly, you do have some reports that come out of that part of the world that may not be fully verified, so I'm not exactly sure on the facts on that.'
DeSantis was at an event at Sarasota's New College to celebrate the state receiving the top ranking in religious liberty protections in an index by the conservative First Liberty Institute's Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy (CRCD).
Reuters reported that Musallet's family, from Tampa, said in a statement that "medics tried to reach him for three hours before his brother managed to carry him to an ambulance, but that he died before reaching the hospital."
The other man, Al-Shalabi, was reportedly shot in the back and bled to death. Ten Palestinians were also reportedly wounded in the confrontation.
Musallet, according to an online report by the independent publication Zeteo, had been visiting family members since June.
CAIR-Florida condemned the Israeli government for its historic support of the settlers and the Trump Administration for inaction. CAIR-Florida's executive director, Imam Abdullah Jaber, said in a statement that the president is running an 'Israel First administration' if it will not investigate the murder of American citizens by Israelis.
'We strongly condemn these racist Israeli settlers, backed and enabled by the Netanyahu government, for beating an American citizen to death in the occupied West Bank,' CAIR-Jaber said. 'This murder is only the latest killing of an American citizen by illegal Israeli settlers or soldiers.'
The settlements are civilian communities built since the Six-Day War in 1967 on Palestinian territory occupied by Israel, primarily in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The homes and possessions of Palestinian residents are often confiscated to make way for the developments.
DeSantis has long supported the Israeli government and its occupation of the West Bank. In 2019, he sanctioned Airbnb for its decision not to list properties in Israeli settlements there. He also visited a West Bank settlement with his then-cabinet: Attorney General Ashley Moody, now a U.S. Senator; Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, now a U.S. congressman; and Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried, now chair of the Florida Democratic Party.
Musallet is one of several U.S. citizens killed by either Israeli residents or government forces over the years, including journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, teenager Omar Mohammad Rabea, and activist Rachel Corrie. CAIR said it sent a letter to the Justice Department asking for action.
The DOJ responded "by incorrectly claiming that it did not have jurisdiction to prosecute the murder of Americans overseas,' CAIR-Florida said.
Reuters quoted a U.S. State Department spokesperson who said the department was aware of the incident, but had no further comment "out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones" of the reported victim.
The Israeli military said Israel was probing the incident, which occurred during confrontations between Palestinians and settlers that "broke out after Palestinians threw rocks at Israelis, lightly injuring them," Reuters said. The article added that the military said forces were dispatched to the scene and used non-lethal weapons to disperse the crowds.
DeSantis' appearance at New College noted the CRCD's ranking of Florida first in religious liberty for using metrics for laws dealing with issues such as "health insurance mandates" to cover contraception and abortion, vaccine requirements and protections of religious practice at school.
The rankings do not necessarily correspond to the politics of each state's government. Texas scored 31st and in last place was West Virginia. Illinois was ranked third and the state of Washington, which DeSantis said "probably doesn't rank very high on your list," citing the Kennedy v. Bremerton case, was eighth.
This article includes reporting by Reuters, published by USA Today.
Christian Casale covers local government for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Email him at ccasale@gannett.com or christiancasale@protonmail.com
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: DeSantis: No comment on Floridian allegedly beaten to death West Bank
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