Latest news with #PalestinianAmerican
Al Jazeera
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
The Take: Settlers killed US citizen Sayf Musallet. Will there be justice?
Sayfollah Musallet, a Palestinian American, was killed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank on July 11, just days before his 21st birthday. His death is one of nearly 1,000 killings involving settlers this year, and his US citizenship has helped draw rare calls for a US investigation. Could this case shift how Washington responds to settler violence in the occupied West Bank? In this episode: Hesam Musallet, uncle of Sayfollah Musallet Episode credits: This episode was produced by Amy Walters, Sari el-Khalili, Chloe K Li and Sonia Bhagat, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich and our guest host, Manuel Rápalo. It was edited by Kylene Kiang. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take's executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
Deccan Herald
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
US says attack on West Bank Palestinian church was 'act of terror'
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called on Saturday for the perpetrators of an attack on a Palestinian church in the occupied West Bank blamed on Israeli settlers to be prosecuted, calling it an "act of terror". Huckabee said he had visited the Christian town of Taybeh, where clerics said Israeli settlers had started a fire near a cemetery and a 5th-century church on July 8. "It is an act of terror, and it is a crime," Huckabee said in a statement, "Those who carry out acts of terror and violence in Taybeh – or anywhere – (should) be found and be prosecuted. Not just reprimanded, that's not enough." Israel's government has not commented on the incident, but has previously denounced such acts. On Tuesday, Huckabee said he had asked Israel to "aggressively investigate" the killing of a Palestinian American beaten by settlers in the West Bank, similarly describing it as a "criminal and terrorist act". Huckabee is a staunch supporter of Israeli settlements and his comments are a rare and pointed public intervention by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump in January rescinded sanctions imposed by the former Biden administration on Israeli settler groups and individuals accused of being involved in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Settler attacks on Palestinians and Palestinian attacks on Israelis in the West Bank have risen since the start of Israel's war on the Hamas militant group in Gaza in October 2023, though violence has long simmered there. The United Nations' highest court said last year that Israel's settlements in territories it captured in the 1967 Middle East war, including the West Bank, were illegal.
Axios
2 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
White House confirms Trump objected to Israeli strikes in Syria
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Monday that President Trump was unhappy with Israel's airstrikes in Syria last week and called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "rectify" the situation. The intrigue: Axios reported Sunday that Israel's decision to bomb Syrian tanks and government buildings last week alarmed senior U.S. officials and deepened their concerns over Israel's policies across the region. One U.S. official said Netanyahu "acted like a madman," while another said there was a growing sense in the administration that Netanyahu's itchy trigger finger could undermine Trump's agenda. Driving the news: Leavitt confirmed Monday that Trump shared at least some of that sentiment. "The president enjoys a good working relationship with prime minister Bibi Netanyahu and stays in frequent communication with him. He was caught off guard by the bombing in Syria and the bombing of the Catholic church in Gaza ... and in both cases the president quickly called the prime minister to rectify these situations," Leavitt said. In addition to the Syrian attacks and the shelling of the church, the White House also raised concerns last week over the murder of Palestinian American Saif Musallet by a mob of Israeli settlers. Leavitt also alluded to reports of more civilians being killed in Gaza and said the president "never likes seeing this." She added that Trump wants "the killing to stop," wants to see a ceasefire and wants to see all the hostages released. Zoom in: In Sunday's Axios article, six U.S. officials described growing frustrations with Netanyahu over Syria and other recent events, and some warned that his relationship with Trump could deteriorate as a result.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
‘Act of terror': US ambassador condemns settler attack on Palestinian church
Although Mike Huckabee is known for his close ties to settler leaders and opposition to Palestinian statehood, his recent comments signal growing unease in Washington over escalating violence in the West Bank read more People carry the body of Palestinian Christian Saad Salama, who was killed in an Israeli strike on the Church of the Holy Family, according to medics, at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, in Gaza City July 17, 2025. (Photo: Reuters/Dawoud Abu Alkas) The US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has condemned an arson attack on a historic church in the occupied West Bank, calling it an 'act of terror' and urging Israel to prosecute those responsible. Huckabee, a vocal supporter of Israeli settlements, visited the Christian town of Taybeh on Saturday (July 20), where clerics said Israeli settlers had set fire near a cemetery and a 5th-century church on July 8. The attack damaged part of the grounds near the Church of St George and came amid a surge in settler violence across the West Bank. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'It is an act of terror, and it is a crime,' Huckabee said in a statement. 'Those who carry out acts of terror and violence in Taybeh, or anywhere, (should) be found and be prosecuted. Not just reprimanded, that's not enough.' The Israeli government has not commented on the incident. It has previously denounced acts of settler violence but has been accused by rights groups of failing to hold perpetrators accountable. Rare rebuke from Trump envoy Huckabee's remarks are one of the clearest public rebukes of settler violence by a Trump administration official. They follow his earlier call on Tuesday for Israel to 'aggressively investigate' the killing of a Palestinian American who was reportedly beaten to death by settlers in the West Bank. That incident, too, was described by Huckabee as a 'criminal and terrorist act'. Although Huckabee is known for his close ties to settler leaders and opposition to Palestinian statehood, his recent comments signal growing unease in Washington over escalating violence in the West Bank, which has surged since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023. The Trump administration has taken a starkly different line from its predecessor. In January, President Trump lifted sanctions imposed by the Biden administration on Israeli settler groups and individuals accused of attacking Palestinians. Tensions rise amid legal dispute The West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, has long been a flashpoint between settlers and Palestinians. Violence by both sides has intensified over the past nine months. The United Nations' top court has ruled that Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are illegal under international law, a position Israel rejects. Israeli leaders argue the territory is vital for national security and assert historical and biblical claims to the land.
Gulf Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Attack on West Bank church was ‘act of terror,' says US envoy
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called on Saturday for the perpetrators of an attack on a Palestinian church in the occupied West Bank blamed on Israeli settlers to be prosecuted, calling it an 'act of terror.' Huckabee said he had visited the Christian town of Taybeh, where clerics said Israeli settlers had started a fire near a cemetery and a 5th-century church on July 8. 'It is an act of terror, and it is a crime,' Huckabee said in a statement, 'Those who carry out acts of terror and violence in Taybeh — or anywhere — (should) be found and be prosecuted. Not just reprimanded, that's not enough.' Israel's government has not commented on the incident, but has previously denounced such acts. On Tuesday, Huckabee said he had asked Israel to 'aggressively investigate' the killing of a Palestinian American beaten by settlers in the West Bank, similarly describing it as a 'criminal and terrorist act.' Huckabee is a staunch supporter of Israeli settlements and his comments are a rare and pointed public intervention by the administration of US President Donald Trump. Mike Huckabee, right, is received by Priest of the Greek Orthodox Church in Taybeh, upon his arrival in the West Bank town of Taybeh. AP In early July, the village of Taybeh was hit by an arson attack in the area of the ruins of the Byzantine-era Church of Saint George, which dates back to the fifth century. Residents blamed settlers for the assault, which comes as violence soars in the West Bank and last week saw an American-Palestinian man killed near Ramallah. Huckabee, an evangelical Christian and staunch advocate for Israel, said his trip to Taybeh aimed to 'express solidarity with the people who just want to live their lives in peace, to be able to go to their own land, to be able to go to their place of worship.' 'It doesn't matter whether it's a mosque, a church, a synagogue,' he told journalists. 'It's unacceptable to commit an act of sacrilege by desecrating a place that is supposed to be a place of worship.' 'We will certainly insist that those who carry out acts of terror and violence in Taybeh or anywhere be found, be prosecuted, not just reprimanded. That's not enough,' he said. 'People need to pay a price for doing something that destroys that which belongs not just to other people, but that which belongs to God.' Trump in January rescinded sanctions imposed by the former Biden administration on Israeli settler groups and individuals accused of being involved in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Agencies
