'Tears in my eyes': Family remembers Palestinian American teen killed in the West Bank
WOODLAND PARK, N.J. — Hundreds of mourners gathered on the West Bank to pay their respects at the funeral of Amer Mohammed Saadah Rabee, a Palestinian American teenager who officials said was fatally shot by Israeli forces.
Family members carried the body of Amer, 14, through the streets in Turmus Ayya, a town in the occupied West Bank, expressing grief and outrage over his killing. Amer, formerly of Saddle Brook, New Jersey, was shot and killed in the town a day earlier, while two other teenagers were wounded, Palestinian officials said.
He was laid to rest on Monday.
Amer's father, Mohammed Rabee, demanded U.S. action and accountability for the fatal shooting. He said in a statement that the boys had gone out to a farm area to pick green almonds.
Mohammed Rabee said that he called the U.S. Embassy to try to get help for his son but later learned that he was dead. He was in shock and mourning, he said, while praising Amer as a good son and student, adding that "not a single person ever complained about him."
The Israeli Defense Forces said in a statement that its troops opened fire during counterterrorism activity in the area, killing one, after identifying "three terrorists who were throwing rocks at a highway with civilian vehicles" and "who posed a danger to civilians."
The State Department confirmed in an email that a U.S. citizen was killed and said the agency offers condolences to the family. "We acknowledge the IDF initial statement that expressed that this incident occurred during a counter-terrorism operation and that Israel is investigating,' the spokesperson wrote.
'There are tears in my eyes'
Family and town officials announced Amer's death in social media posts and in a statement released by the Palestinian American Community Center in Clifton, New Jersey, where his uncle is a board member. The teen also went by Amir, the legal name on his passport.
Amer's family members, including an uncle and two brothers who live in Wayne, New Jersey, traveled to the West Bank on Sunday for the funeral. Mahmoud Ijbara, a cousin of the teen, said Monday that his family was trying to get more information about the events surrounding the shooting.
"I was looking at one of the videos, and his mom is telling him bye and kissing his forehead," Ijbara said. "There are tears in my eyes. Me, as a cousin, it's tough. Imagine his own mom. It's unwatchable."
The incident resonated in New Jersey's large Palestinian community. Turmus Ayya is a popular destination and a hometown for many Palestinian Americans, who spend summers there, live there part-time, or retire there. Its mayor, Lafi Shalabi, has said Palestinian Americans with dual citizenship make up an estimated 85% of the town's population.
Many families have sent their children to Turmus Ayya to live for a few years as a way to learn about culture and religion, said Ijbara, who also spent time there as a child. Amer grew up in Saddle Brook before he moved to Turmus Ayya two or three years ago, Ijbara added.
Israel-Hamas conflict
Violence has escalated across the West Bank in the wake of the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. More than 900 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers or settlers in the West Bank since then, according to the United Nations. About 30 Israelis were killed in the West Bank in the same period.
In Turmus Ayya, residents have pleaded with U.S. officials to protect them and seek accountability for attacks in their town. The IDF said in its statement that it would continue military operations in the West Bank, which it says are rooting out militants and armed groups.
"IDF forces will continue to operate defensively and offensively throughout Judea and Samaria for the security of the region's residents," the military organization said.
In February 2024, the Biden administration and European countries imposed financial sanctions on Israeli settlers who have attacked Palestinians on the West Bank. President Donald Trump repealed those sanctions.
The Trump administration also announced that it is moving forward with a plan to send 20,000 assault rifles to Israel, Reuters reported. The Biden administration paused the shipment over concerns that extremist Israeli settlers could use it.
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