Latest news with #Rabea
Asharq Al-Awsat
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
US Says It's Aware of Palestinian American Teen's Killing by Israeli Forces in West Bank
The US State Department said on Tuesday it was aware of the killing by Israeli forces of a Palestinian American teenager in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and was seeking more information about the incident. A State Department spokesperson made the comments to reporters when asked about the killing of US citizen Omar Mohammad Rabea, 14, and the shooting of two other teenagers. "We are certainly aware of that dynamic," the State Department spokesperson said. "There is an investigation that is going on. We are aware of the reports from the Israeli army that this was a counterterrorism act, we need to learn more about the nature of what happened on the ground." The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the weekend incident as an "extra-judicial killing" by Israeli forces during a raid. A local mayor said Rabea was shot along with two other teenagers by an Israeli settler and that the Israeli army pronounced him dead after detaining him. The Israeli military said it shot a "terrorist" who endangered civilians by hurling rocks. "We don't have the complete picture of what was going on the ground," the State Department spokesperson added. The family of the teenager, who was a New Jersey native, said he was shot multiple times. Local community leaders gathered at the Palestinian American Community Center in Clifton, New Jersey, on Tuesday to pay tribute to him and demand justice. Israel has expanded and consolidated settlements in the occupied West Bank as part of the steady integration of these territories into the state of Israel in breach of international law, the UN human rights office said last month. Settler violence in the West Bank, including incursions into occupied territory and raids, has intensified since the start of Israel's war in Gaza that has killed over 50,000, according to Gaza's health ministry, and led to genocide and war crimes accusations that Israel denies. The Israeli onslaught in Gaza followed a Hamas attack in October 2023 in which 1,200 were killed and about 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.
Arab News
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
US says it is aware of Palestinian American's killing by Israeli forces in West Bank
WASHINGTON: The US State Department said on Tuesday it was aware of the killing by Israeli forces of a Palestinian American teenager in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and was seeking more information about the incident. A State Department spokesperson made the comments to reporters when asked about the killing of US citizen Omar Mohammad Rabea, 14, and the shooting of two other teenagers. 'We are certainly aware of that dynamic,' the State Department spokesperson said. 'There is an investigation that is going on. We are aware of the reports from the IDF that this was a counterterrorism act, we need to learn more about the nature of what happened on the ground.' The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the weekend incident as an 'extra-judicial killing' by Israeli forces during a raid. A local mayor said Rabea was shot along with two other teenagers by an Israeli settler and that the Israeli army pronounced him dead after detaining him. The Israeli military said it shot a 'terrorist' who endangered civilians by hurling rocks. 'We don't have the complete picture of what was going on on the ground,' the State Department spokesperson added. Israel has expanded and consolidated settlements in the occupied West Bank as part of the steady integration of these territories into the state of Israel in breach of international law, the UN human rights office said last month. Settler violence in the West Bank, including incursions into occupied territory and raids, has intensified since the start of Israel's war in Gaza that has killed over 50,000, according to Gaza's health ministry, and led to genocide and war crimes accusations that Israel denies. The Israeli onslaught in Gaza followed a Hamas attack in October 2023 in which 1,200 were killed and about 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Palestinian-American boy, 14, shot dead by Israeli troops in West Bank
April 7 (UPI) -- A 14-year-old Palestinian-American teen was shot and killed by Israeli troops in the central West Bank village of Turmusaya 10 miles northeast of Ramallah, the de-facto capital of the occupied Palestinian territory, authorities said. Turmusaya Mayor Lafi Shalabi identified the boy as Omar Rabea, saying two other boys aged 14 and 15 were injured in the incident Sunday night, one of them seriously. The IDF said it opened fire as part of a counterterrorism operation but said it had targeted "terrorists" killing one and hitting the two others because they were hurling stones at Israeli motorists, placing civilians using the road in peril. Poor quality footage being circulated by the IDF appeared to show one individual among a group of three people throwing a projectile of some kind. The foreign ministry of the Palestinian Authority accused Israeli forces of carrying out another "extrajudicial killing" and condemned the targeting of children with live fire. "Israel's continued impunity as an illegal occupying power encourages it to commit further crimes," it said in a statement. Rabea's killing, one of two Palestinian-Americans and Americans Mohammed Khdour and Rachel Corrie killed in the West Bank over the past two decades, apparently by Israeli forces, came hours before Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday. The Israelis and U.S. State Department did not immediately offer any comment on Sunday's incident. However, the Council of American-Islamic Relations criticizaed a lack of actions on behalf of U.S. administrations to hold Israel, its soldiers or illegal settlers accountable for killing or injuring Palestinian-Americans and reiterated its call for the U.S. Justice Department to launch a criminal investigation seeking justice for Rabea and other victims of Israeli violence. "Every hour of every day, Palestinians -- including Palestinian-Americans -- are subjected to injury, death or expulsion from their homes and land by the far-right Israeli government and its racist supporters, all with the complicity of our own government," CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said in a statement. "If the Trump administration really wants to put 'America first,' its first duty is to protect the lives of American citizens. The Department of Justice must act to investigate this and all other murders and attacks targeting Palestinian-Americans. Those responsible must be brought to justice," said Awad.
Middle East Eye
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Palestinian-American teen killed by Israeli army in the occupied West Bank
A 14-year-old Palestinian-American, Omar Mohammad Rabea, was shot dead by the Israeli army in Turmus Ayya, a West Bank town, on Sunday. Rabea, along with two other Palestinian-American boys, aged 14 and 15, were also shot and wounded at the entrance to the town. The mayor, Adeeb Lafi, confirmed that two of the teens were rushed to a medical centre, while the third, Rabea, was detained by Israeli soldiers before being pronounced dead. Israel's military confirmed it killed what it called a 'terrorist.' "Two of them were transported by ambulance to a nearby medical center and then to the hospital. The army arrived at the scene and detained the third injured boy, who is 14 years old and holds US citizenship," Lafi said. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed Rabea's death, attributing it to "occupation forces." Omar Mohammad Rabea, a 14-year-old Palestinian-American killed by the Israeli army (Social Media)
Daily Tribune
07-04-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Tribune
Oil, sand and speed: Saudi gearheads take on towering dunes
Saudi Arabia Wearing a helmet and strapped securely into his four-wheel-drive, Abdelilah al-Rabea tore off across the Saudi desert, kicking up clouds of sand as a crowd of hundreds cheered him on. Every year through the end of April, droves of people flock to Zulfi, more than 200 kilometres northwest of Riyadh, where adrenaline-seeking motorists drive superpowered cars across steep dunes. Dune bashing, or tatees in Arabic, is an adventure sport that involves driving off-road across challenging desert landscapes, and has long been a popular pastime in the oil-rich kingdom. 'This is a popular sport in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf because we have these dunes,' Rabea said. It requires 'considerable effort', he added, but the payoff is 'a real rush of adrenaline'. Abdallah al-Amar, who came to watch the show with his son, said spectators were willing to 'travel great distances' for the meets, flocking from all over the country to watch the drivers perform their stunts. Saudi Arabia, as the world's biggest oil exporter, enjoys bargain-basement gasoline prices, with a litre costing just 2.33 riyals ($0.62). The cheap fuel, combined with prolonged periods of extreme heat, means cars reign supreme in the kingdom -- further fuelling a passion for motorsports. Waiting all year In Zulfi, hundreds of cars and pick-up trucks dotted the sands as far as the eye can see, while nearby a motorist raced up a 100-metre-tall dune. 'The cars you see here are specially equipped' for the challenge, Rabea told AFP. Crowds made up almost exclusively of men looked on, drinking coffee and tea on carpets strewn on the sand. Engines roared, crowds cheered and plumes of dust rose with every turn of the wheels. 'We wait for this moment all year. We optimise the engine, the car, every single detail,' Rabea said. At the foot of the dune, modified cars and trucks with oversized tyres and powerful engines were lined up, waiting to take on the dunes. Their drivers were making final adjustments to the vehicles, preparing to defy gravity racing uphill at dizzying speed. 'Always loved the dunes' For many, dune bashing and desert drifting is a passion that began in adolescence. Badr al-Ghamas, a 33-yearold man from al-Qassim, began practising the sport when he was only 15 years old. 'For some, sports means to play football or swimming. For us, it's going dune bashing,' he said with a smile. One experienced drifter, Ahmed al-Rumi told AFP that drivers modified their cars to improve performance months in advance. But the extreme sport is not without risk. 'A while ago, there was an accident because the car was not fully safe,' Rumi said, adding that no one was hurt. Many of the drivers, however, brushed off the risk of accidents, citing safety precautions they take. In his 2014 book 'Joyriding in Riyadh: Oil, Urbanism, and Road Revolt', researcher Pascal Menoret said this passion for speed and high-risk manoeuvres was rooted in a desire to project an image of power and masculinity. At sunset the drivers headed home, leaving behind splotches of oil on the sand and track marks scarring the dunes. But Amar said the gas-guzzling sport was not necessarily in conflict with nature. 'I grew up on a farm and I've always loved the dunes,' he said. 'Now, I bring along my son who shares the same passion.'
