Latest news with #Palestinian-American
Al-Ahram Weekly
22 minutes ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Top Palestinian official meets US ambassador to Israel in Ramallah - Region
Hussein al-Sheikh, vice-president of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), on Tuesday said he met the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, in the occupied West Bank. Sheikh, a close aide to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, said the meeting took place in his office. The meeting was Huckabee's first official visit to Ramallah, which is home to key Palestinian Authority institutions. "Discussions were held regarding support for efforts to stop the war in the Gaza Strip, release the hostages and deliver urgent aid to the Palestinian people there," he wrote on X. "The current situation in the West Bank was also discussed, including the severe economic and financial crisis and settler violence. "Ways to strengthen bilateral relations were explored, as well as the importance of the American role in achieving stability, security, and peace in the region." I met with the United States Ambassador, Mr. Huckabee, today at my office in Ramallah. @GovMikeHuckabee Discussions were held regarding support for efforts to stop the war in the Gaza Strip, release the hostages, and deliver urgent aid to the Palestinian people there. The… — حسين الشيخ Hussein Al Sheikh (@HusseinSheikhpl) July 22, 2025 Sheikh, a veteran of Abbas's Fatah party, was appointed as vice-president of the PLO leadership in April, a newly created position. Founded in 1964, the PLO is empowered to negotiate and sign international treaties on behalf of the Palestinian people, while the Palestinian Authority is responsible for governance in parts of the Palestinian territories. Relations between the United States and the Palestinian Authority were strained during Donald Trump's first term as president, during which he moved the US embassy to Jerusalem and recognised it as Israel's capital, in a break with international consensus. Last Saturday, Huckabee visited Taybeh, a Christian village in the occupied West Bank, where he called for justice after an attack on a church blamed by locals on Israeli settlers. The ambassador is a leading figure on the conservative Christian right in the United States and is close to pro-settlement groups. Nevertheless, Huckabee urged Israel to "aggressively investigate the murder of Saif Mussallet", a Palestinian-American beaten to death by Israeli settlers, calling it "a criminal and terrorist act". Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
Palestinian-American beaten to death by Israeli settlers in West Bank, officials say
A 20-year-old Palestinian-American from Florida was allegedly beaten to death by Israeli settlers while visiting family in the occupied West Bank, according to local health officials. Sayfollah Musallet, who was born in Tampa, 'was martyred after being severely beaten all over his body by settlers in the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah,' according to a news release from the Palestinian Health Ministry.
CairoScene
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Palestinian Comedian Mo Amer to Perform at Dubai Opera in October
Amer's set will be one of several performances scheduled during Dubai Comedy Festival. Jul 22, 2025 Palestinian-American comedian and writer Mo Amer is set to perform at Dubai Opera on Thursday, October 9th, as part of the Dubai Comedy Festival. Known for his sharp observational humour and storytelling focused on family and identity, Amer's set will be one of several performances scheduled during the festival, which runs from October 2nd to 12th. Presented by Live Nation Middle East, the festival will also feature comedians including Tom Segura, Akaash Singh, Joanne McNally, John Achkar, Amer Zahr, and Zakir Khan. Amer has received multiple awards for his work, including a Gotham Award and a Peabody Award, and is recognised for his appearances in the Netflix series 'Mo'. Tickets start at AED 295 and are available through PlatinumList's official website.
Roya News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
‘Child that won't behave', Trump shocked by Netanyahu's Damascus strike: US officials tell Axios
A new report by Axios reveals growing concern within the Trump administration over 'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent military actions in Syria and Gaza. According to the report, six senior US officials expressed frustration over what they described as Netanyahu's increasingly aggressive behavior. One White House official told Axios, 'Bibi acted like a madman. He bombs everything all the time,' adding that these moves could undermine President Donald Trump's efforts in the region. The report stated that tensions escalated this week after 'Israel' bombed a Syrian army tank convoy near Suwayda last Tuesday. 'Israel' claimed the convoy entered a demilitarized zone and was involved in attacks against the Druze minority. The strikes came amid ongoing clashes in southern Syria that have left hundreds dead. US envoy Tom Barrack reportedly asked 'Israel' to pause the strikes to allow for a diplomatic solution. While 'Israel' initially agreed, Axios reported that it later expanded the campaign, hitting Syria's military headquarters and areas near the presidential palace on Wednesday. A senior US official told Axios that the strikes 'caught the president and the White House by surprise.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio then asked Netanyahu to stop the attacks, which 'Israel' agreed to under the condition that Syrian forces withdraw from Suwayda. The report also noted that 'Israel's' shelling of a church in Gaza this week prompted a phone call from President Trump to Netanyahu seeking an explanation. In addition, Axios cited officials linking Netanyahu's actions to domestic political pressure, particularly from the Druze community in 'Israel'. One official said Netanyahu is 'driven by his political agenda.' The article also highlighted friction over the recent killing of Palestinian-American Saif Musallet by 'Israeli' settlers and increasing concerns about settler violence. Former Governor Mike Huckabee, a longtime ally of Netanyahu, condemned the attack as 'terrorism' and criticized 'Israel's' treatment of American evangelicals seeking travel visas. 'Israeli' officials, according to Axios, were surprised by the US response. One senior 'Israeli' official told the outlet that Netanyahu's actions were motivated by intelligence on Syrian government involvement in alleged anti-Druze attacks, and denied any domestic political motives. The Axios report said that despite the growing concern among officials, President Trump has so far avoided publicly criticizing Netanyahu.
Time Magazine
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time Magazine
Israeli Settler Violence Escalates in the West Bank
Residents across the occupied West Bank say they have been targeted in a wave of attacks by Israeli settlers this week, following the killing of a Palestinian-American man near Sinjil. In Burqa, villagers describe coordinated arson that set dozens of cars ablaze and forced some families to seek medical help for smoke inhalation. 'This is not the first and is not going to be the last attack from these settlers,' Sayel Kanan, the mayor of Burqa, tells TIME. 'They [settlers] come with impunity, and the army just stands by to protect them.' Kanan added that the flames from the attacks reached the windows of some homes, forcing residents to seek first aid. 'The Israeli military arrived in a few minutes. They stayed at the side of the settlers to make sure that nobody came close or hurt them,' he claims. The Israeli military said it is reviewing reports related to both incidents. The attacks are part of a sharp uptick in settler violence since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023. In the West Bank alone, nearly 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers since then, according to United Nations figures. The violence escalated following the killing of Sayfollah Musallet, a 20-year-old Palestinian-American from Florida, who his family says was beaten to death by Israeli settlers near Sinjil while trying to protect his family's land. Muhammad Al-Shalabi, 23, was also killed during the same attack, after allegedly being shot in the chest by Israeli settlers. Another 58 Palestinians were reported injured during the violence in Sinjil, according to the U.N. Muhammad's uncle, Samer Al-Shalabi, tells TIME that Muhammad went to the area near Sinjil to protect land that was being damaged by Israeli settlers. He says the family did not find his nephew's body until 10:30pm on Friday, hours after he had been shot. 'Before Friday, we were joking with Muhammad, we were preparing for him whether he should get married or not at this time,' he says. 'All the preparation, all the memories, all the dreams we had together are lost, in just a second it disappeared.' Al-Shalabi claims it took 'more than one hour' for the Israeli army to allow the ambulances to go in. The IDF said that six people were arrested in connection with the murders, but have since been released and issued with a 15-day ban on entering the West Bank. TIME has reached out to the Israeli Police for further updates regarding the incident in Sinjil on Friday. In a separate incident this week, the Christian West Bank town of Taybeh was also targeted by settlers, who reportedly set fires near a 5th century church and attacked homes in the area last week. Democrat Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York said he was 'horrified by the brutal murder' of Musallet. 'Reports that the settlers prevented ambulances from reaching the victims and IDF soldiers were also present but failed to intervene are deeply disturbing. Violence in the West Bank has reached epidemic levels,' he wrote on social media. Meanwhile, four British bishops have written a letter to the U.K. government, calling on it to act in response to growing Israeli settler violence in the occupied Palestinian territory. The Israel-Hamas war started after Hamas launched a terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing over 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage. At least 58,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed since then, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Since the start of the war, at least 964 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military and settlers in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, according to the U.N. 35 Israelis have also been killed in the territory by Palestinians or during clashes within that same period. The British government—alongside Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway—recently sanctioned two far-right Israeli ministers for inciting 'extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights' in the West Bank. Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have both been vocal about their support of the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are illegal under international law.
