Latest news with #AmerMohamadSaadaRabee
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Family of NJ teen killed in West Bank demands answers
NEW JERSEY (PIX11) — A Palestinian American family from New Jersey is calling on the federal government to investigate their son's death over the weekend in the West Bank. Fourteen-year-old Amer Mohamad Saada Rabee was shot and killed Sunday. More Local News The Israel Defense Forces claim that they identified 'three terrorists who hurled rocks toward the highway,' endangering civilian drivers. Amer's family claims the circumstances were much more innocent. 'Amer was killed after he and two other boys were picking almonds off a tree,' said Rania Mustafa, the executive director of the Palestinian American Community Center. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State 'This kid was unarmed … no weapons,' said Amer's uncle, Rami Jbara. 'He's just playing on top of a tree getting those almonds.' Amer's family moved to Palestine from Saddle Brook in 2013. Amer had dual citizenship and often traveled back and forth. 'This was a senseless killing of an innocent 14-year-old boy, a boy who also happens to be an American citizen,' said Salaedin Maksut, the executive director of the Council of American Islamic Relations-NJ. Amer's father said he learned of Sunday's shooting through a family friend. He said he tried for hours to get information from the American embassy before learning the gruesome truth. 'He had 11 shots,' said Mohammed Rabee. 'Two in his stomach, one in his leg, two in his hand, two in his heart, two in his shoulder, and two in his head.' The Rabee family is calling for the United States government to step in and get answers. 'We demand a formal investigation into the murder of Amer,' said Mustafa. 'We demand our local and state officials condemn this killing. We demand the American embassy take accountability. And we demand an end to the illegal Israeli operation and an end to the genocide.' So far, the White House has not addressed Amer's death. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
14-year-old dual Palestinian-US citizen killed in the West Bank
A 14-year-old dual Palestinian-U.S. citizen was killed in the West Bank on Sunday, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said Monday. The teen was identified as Amer Mohamad Saada Rabee. The death comes after Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement Sunday that they identified 'three terrorists who hurled rocks toward the highway, thus endangering civilians driving' in the Turmus Ayya area of the West Bank. Israeli soldiers "opened fire," killing one person and hitting two others, the IDF said in the statement, though they did not identify the person who was killed. In response to an ABC News request, the IDF would not comment regarding whether they are investigating the incident. A video of the rock-throwing incident in question was provided with the IDF statement Sunday. A State Department spokesperson confirmed in a statement to ABC News that a U.S. citizen died in the West Bank. MORE: Israel expands ground operations in north Gaza after deadly strike on school "We acknowledge the IDF's initial statement that expressed that this incident occurred during a counter-terrorism operation and that Israel is investigating,' the statement said. 'It is with heavy hearts that The Palestinian American Community Center (PACC) shares the news of the horrific killing of Amer Mohamad Saada Rabee, a young 14-year-old Palestinian American boy from Turmusayya [sic], a village in the West Bank,' the New Jersey-based Palestinian American Community Center said in a statement. Two other people who were also under 18 years old were injured in the incident, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. 'Amer, along with two other Palestinian American 15-year-olds from the village, were shot by Israeli military officers. Amer was shot 11 times in total,' the Palestinian American Community Center said. Mourners gathered Sunday for funeral prayers at the Palestinian American Community Center in Clifton, New Jersey. ABC News' Nathan Luna contributed to this report. 14-year-old dual Palestinian-US citizen killed in the West Bank originally appeared on
