Latest news with #Ramallah
The Guardian
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Family of US citizen beaten to death by Israeli settlers calls on Trump administration to prosecute killers
Relatives of Sayfollah Musallet, a US citizen from Florida beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, are calling for the Trump administration to arrest and prosecute those responsible for his killing. The 20-year-old from Tampa was visiting his family in an area near Ramallah, and died last week trying to protect their farm from invaders, they said at an emotional press conference in Florida on Monday afternoon. His uncle Hasem Musallet paid tribute to the 'loving, respectful' boy who loved baseball and had just opened an ice-cream business in Tampa with several of his cousins. He decried what the family saw as indifference from the US government over the murder of one of its citizens. 'Somebody needs to be held accountable,' he said. 'He wanted to be a businessman ever since he was young. He was planning on expanding, finding a wife, having a family. That was his dream but it was cut short at 20 years old, cut short unjustly.' Musallet was beaten with clubs and bats, and died in the same attack that killed a 23-year-old Palestinian man. Razek Hussein al-Shalabi was shot and left to bleed to death, the Palestinian health ministry said. Hasem Musallet said the settlers prevented ambulances from reaching the injured men, and that a brother watched Sayfollah take his last breath. Hiba Rahim, deputy executive director of the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair), said Musallet's family wanted Donald Trump, and the departments of justice and state, to prosecute his killers under US law. She also condemned a statement from the state department that said it had no comment on Musallet's death 'out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones during this difficult time'. Rahim said: 'We're not asking, and his family is not asking for silence. We're asking for accountability. 'If Sayfollah was killed by anyone else or in another country, there would already be investigations, there would already be attempts for arrest, and calls for arrest and outrage in Washington. 'Where is the outrage from our government? Where is the accountability?' Hasem Musallet broke down in tears as he remembered his nephew as 'just a very rare soul' who would help anybody in need. He said Musallet was on a trip with family members from Florida, and enjoying time in the mountains and barbecuing with friends in the West Bank in the days before his death. 'He was very loving, caring. Just like any other 20-year-old he would go out with his friends after work, he'd watch comedy, he'd go out driving, he'd go to the beach. He would come to my house always, and come to his grandmother and give her a hug and kiss her hand,' Hasem said. Rahim dismissed an Israel Defense Forces account of Musallet's killing suggesting there was an altercation between groups of settlers and Palestinians. 'There were no clashes. These are the same lies we hear every time a guilty party is guilty of monstrous activity like what we saw with Sayfollah's death,' she said. 'This is not an isolated tragedy. There's a devastating pattern of Americans being killed in Israel, brutalized and murdered with impunity by Israeli forces and settlers.' Musallet's death is part of a growing wave of violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Israeli forces and settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the territory and injured at least 9,000 since the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023.
Al Mayadeen
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Mayadeen
Israeli settlers kill American-Palestinian visiting West Bank
Israeli settlers killed 20-year-old Palestinian-American, Sayfollah 'Saif' Musallet, while he was visiting relatives on his family's farm near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. According to his family, settlers beat Musallet, and ambulances were blocked from reaching him for three hours, causing his death from injuries before he could be hospitalized. Musallet's friend, Mohammed Nael Hijaz, who was the first to reach him, described him as unresponsive and barely breathing. Another man, 23-year-old Razek Hussein al-Shalabi, was also fatally shot during the attack and left to bleed out, as reported by the Palestinian Health Ministry. Settler attacks are escalating across the occupied West Bank as part of the Israeli occupation's ongoing efforts to occupy more Palestinian territory. These incursions are taking place under direct military protection and with full political backing from the Israeli government, according to rights groups and local sources. The Israeli military claimed that stones were thrown at Israelis and that a violent confrontation ensued, alleging it was investigating the incident. Both men will be buried together in a funeral on Sunday. The family has since demanded a full investigation by the US State Department into the killings and urged accountability for the Israeli settlers responsible for Saif's death. Witnesses to the incident revealed that Israeli soldiers were present during the confrontation. A spokesperson for the US Department of State confirmed awareness of reports regarding the death of a US citizen in the West Bank, stating that they were "ready to provide consular services," without further comments. Since October 7, three Palestinian-American teenagers have been killed in the West Bank, but "Israel" has not been held accountable for their deaths. Musallet, who was born and raised in Florida, had recently opened an ice cream shop in Tampa with his father. He had traveled to the West Bank in early June to visit relatives. 'He was a very sweet guy, full of hopes and dreams,' said Mohammed Nael Hijaz, who expressed deep sorrow over the inability to save his friend. Musallet was attacked on his family's farm in Baten al-Hawa, a town near occupied al-Quds, located in Area B. This area is under the administrative control of the Palestinian Authority but remains under Israeli military security control. A week prior, settlers had also attacked two journalists working for DW, a German broadcaster, in the same area. Despite the journalists wearing clearly marked press jackets, the settlers threw rocks at them, causing severe damage to their car. The German ambassador to "Israel" condemned the attack, and the Israeli military promised to investigate the incident. Rights groups have repeatedly accused the Israeli military of either standing by or actively assisting settlers as they raid Palestinian villages, vandalize property, and assault residents. Just two weeks ago, over 100 settlers stormed the village of Kafr Malek near Ramallah, killing three men and injuring several others. 'The settlers want to take over our land,' Hijaz explained. 'Their aggression is increasing by the day. The Israeli army comes to protect them and don't do anything to stop them from attacking us. No one can hold the settlers accountable.'
Al Mayadeen
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Mayadeen
Israeli settlers kill Palestinian youth in brutal West Bank assault
The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced on Friday the martyrdom of 23-year-old Sefideddine Kamel Abdel Karim Musallat, from the town of al-Mazra'a al-Sharqiya, after he was brutally assaulted by Israeli settlers in the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. According to reports from the Palestinian news agency WAFA, the assault was part of a broader settler attack that injured at least 10 other Palestinians. The victims suffered fractures and other injuries after being attacked in Khirbet al-Tal, located in Jabal al-Batin south of Sinjil, in the Ramallah and al-Bireh governorate. WAFA quoted a local activist who said that dozens of armed settlers attacked residents and international solidarity activists who were attempting to reach Khirbet al-Tal to dismantle an illegal outpost. The injured Palestinians came from several nearby villages, including Sinjil, al-Mazra'a al-Sharqiya, Abwein, and Jiljilya. During the incident, a Palestinian civilian was run over by a settler, and two ambulances were attacked, resulting in shattered windows, further highlighting the extent of settler violence against both civilians and medical teams. This latest attack follows the killing of another Palestinian earlier this month near eastern Nablus by Israeli occupation forces. Settler violence, often carried out under the protection of the Israeli forces, has intensified in recent months across the occupied West Bank. Local sources also reported new assaults by settlers near the village of al-Minya, southeast of Beit Lahm, where several Palestinians, including children, were injured under Israeli military protection. Meanwhile, Israeli occupation forces continue to demolish homes in the Tulkarm refugee camp as part of an ongoing military campaign. The assault on the camp and its surrounding city has entered its 166th consecutive day, reflecting the broader Israeli aggression against Palestinian communities across the occupied territories. Israeli far-right Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has established a new police unit consisting of armed settlers who are operating illegally, according to the Anadolu agency, with analysts suggesting this step could further entrench "Israel's" de facto "annexation" of the occupied West Bank. The far-right minister announced the decision during a ceremony on Wednesday at the Ibrahimi Mosque in al-Khalil, located in the southern part of the occupied West Bank. According to a police statement released on Thursday, the newly formed "First Response Unit," composed of more than 100 illegal settlers from Israeli settlements, will operate under the West Bank police division with the alleged aim of delivering "rapid and effective emergency response," improving "personal security," and assisting in "fighting crime" in the area. Ben-Gvir referred to the settlers in the unit as an "inseparable part of society," commending their ability to deliver "quick responses in the field," while framing the initiative as an expression of "real sovereignty and practical Zionism," a statement widely interpreted as advancing "Israel's" broader objective of annexing the West Bank. Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are enduring a significant surge in settler attacks and an exponential expansion of illegal settlement outposts. According to Israeli media on Friday, there has been a 40% rise in the number of illegal settlements under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Israeli Channel 12 reported that the West Bank has witnessed a boom in settlement activity since the formation of Netanyahu's government at the end of 2022. The number of settlements increased from 128 to 178, accompanied by extensive demolitions of Palestinian homes. This expansion directly affects Palestinian communities through land seizure and home demolitions. The channel emphasized that these measures aim to entrench Israeli control over the area and dismantle the viability of the "two-state solution". Ben-Gvir's new unit comprises settlers involved in near-daily attacks against Palestinians. From physical assault and murder to arson and vandalism, destruction of agricultural lands, theft of land and resources, road ambushes and attacks on shepherds, and home invasions and intimidation, these attacks typically go about without consequence; suspects are seldom arrested, and prosecutions are even rarer.
Al Mayadeen
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Mayadeen
West Bank towns under settler attack as military raids intensify
Settler violence and military raids intensified across the occupied West Bank on Saturday evening, with attacks reported in Ramallah, Nablus, Qalqilya, and Tulkarm. Palestinian security sources reported that armed settler groups assaulted the outskirts of Jaljulia village, located north of Ramallah, attempting to set Palestinian homes ablaze. In Sinjil, northeast of Ramallah, settlers targeted the southern area known as Al-Batin, where local residents confronted the intruders, preventing further escalation. Meanwhile, gunfire was opened toward civilians from an illegal outpost in the Al-Qala'a area, east of the village of al-Mughayyir. In a separate act of intimidation, settlers gathered at the entrance to the nearby town of Turmusaya. قطعان من المستوطنين يقتحمون أراضي بلدة جلجليا شمال رام الله، ويحاولون إحراق منزل على أطراف البلدة. another development, Israeli occupation forces detained a Palestinian man at the Atara military checkpoint north of Ramallah, as part of the army's ongoing arrest operations across the region. South of Nablus, residents of Beita town fended off a settler incursion, during which a young Palestinian was wounded by rubber bullets. In the same area, settlers torched a vehicle during their invasion of Mount Bir Qouza. عاجل | إصابة شاب بالرصاص المطاطي خلال مواجهات مع قوات الاحتلال أثناء التصدي لهجوم مستوطنين على جبل بئر قوزا، في بلدة بيتا جنوب نابلس. the eastern part of Qalqilya Governorate, Israeli forces stormed the villages of Hajjah, Baqat al-Hatab, and Seer. Local witnesses described the raids as deliberately provocative, with soldiers patrolling village streets in a confrontational manner. Tension also flared in Anabta, east of Tulkarm, where confrontations erupted following an Israeli military raid. The assault comes amid a prolonged Israeli campaign in Tulkarm and its refugee camp, now in its 160th consecutive day, and a parallel offensive in the Nour Shams refugee camp, which has entered its 147th day. Both areas continue to suffer under repeated incursions and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian conditions. Since October 2023, "Israel" has intensified its military presence across the occupied West Bank. Overnight roadblocks of earth and stone appeared, followed by brightly painted metal gates. New permanent and flying checkpoints now dot the landscape. For many, this has severely disrupted daily life. Sana Alwan, a 52-year-old personal trainer in Sinjil, said her commute to Ramallah now takes up to three hours each way and unpredictable delays have caused her work to decline. "Half of our life is on the roads," she said. While spared the full-scale war seen on Gaza, life in the occupied West Bank has grown increasingly difficult. A ban on Palestinian workers entering the 1948-occupied Palestinian territories cut off livelihoods for tens of thousands. A crackdown on refugee camps displaced thousands earlier this year. Read more: Settler violence turns inward: IOF attacked, security post burned Moreover, Israeli military operations in the occupied West Bank have resulted in the demolition of more than 1,000 Palestinian homes and the killing of at least 55 people since January. The destruction has concentrated on three northern West Bank refugee camps: Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams, with operations intensifying since January 21. These raids are part of a protracted military campaign characterized by home demolitions, infrastructure destruction, and the occupation of residential buildings.
Irish Times
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
‘This is an unimaginable nightmare': Residents gather to mourn Palestinian-American and friend killed in Israeli-occupied West Bank
Palestinian flags covered their bodies and their heads were wrapped with keffiyehs as the two young men were lifted through the crowd. Hundreds of residents of Al-Mazra'a ash-Sharqiya, in the occupied West Bank , gathered on Sunday to mourn two of their own. American citizen Sayfollah Musallet (20) and Palestinian Mohammed Hussein Al-Shalabi (23) died last Friday – one was beaten to death by Israeli settlers, the other shot, their families and witnesses say. The men were killed after they went to agricultural land owned by local residents beside the nearby town of Sinjil. This has become a common Friday tradition, as Israeli settlers increasingly try to seize territory in this area – around 19km northeast of the city of Ramallah – and Palestinians attempt to defend it. The deaths happened three months after Israeli soldiers shot and killed 14-year-old American citizen Amer Rabee, in Turmus Aya, a town less than 5km away. READ MORE Musallet was born and living in Florida , where he worked at his family's Tampa ice-cream shop. He travelled to the West Bank on June 4th, his family said. Reading a family statement, his cousin Diana said Musallet was surrounded by settlers for more than three hours as paramedics tried to reach him, meaning they were unable to give him life-saving medical assistance. 'Saif was a brother and a son ... a kind, hard-working and deeply successful young man,' she said. 'This is an unimaginable nightmare and an injustice that no family should ever have to face. We demand the US State Department lead an immediate investigation and hold the Israeli settlers who killed Saif accountable for their crimes. Saif is not just a number. He is the kid that brings light in every room he walks into. We won't let him be forgotten.' [ 'Hanging on by a thread': Two days with activists protecting Palestinians from being forced off their land Opens in new window ] A US embassy spokesperson confirmed the death, telling The Irish Times: 'We offer our condolences to the family and are providing consular assistance. We have asked Israeli authorities for further details.' A state department spokesperson added that they have 'no higher priority than the safety and security of US citizens overseas', while referring questions about an investigation to the Israeli government. Men carry the bodies of American citizen Sayfollah Musallet (20) and Palestinian Mohammed Hussein Al-Shalabi (23), both killed during settler violence last Friday. Photograph: Sally Hayden Relatives of Mohammed Hussein Al-Shalabi (23) gather to mourn together the day after his death. Photograph: Sally Hayden Land near where settlers have been attacking in Sinjil, the occupied West Bank. Photograph: Sally Hayden A poster remembering American citizen Sayfollah Musallet (20) seen during his funeral on Sunday. Photograph: Sally Hayden Men pray at the funeral for American citizen Sayfollah Musallet (20) and Palestinian Mohammed Hussein Al-Shalabi (23), in Al-Mazra'a ash-Sharqiya, the occupied West Bank. Photograph: Sally Hayden An Israeli military spokesperson said a joint investigation had been opened by the Israeli police and the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division, and they could not share further details because the case is 'ongoing.' The military previously accused 'terrorists' of 'hurl[ing] rocks at Israeli civilians', saying a 'violent confrontation' later developed 'which included vandalism of Palestinian property, arson, physical clashes, and rock hurling'. A witness to Friday's violence said the settlers came 'like a gang' and 'made a trap', arriving while Palestinians were 'up in the farms' and using a vehicle to block the exit road. He suggested one of the reasons the settlers want to control the land is that it contains dozens of farms and water wells. Many American-Palestinians, like Musallet, regularly return to the area their family originally comes from and maintains a base in, even if they find full-time existence here unsustainable. 'We have to go to America to work,' explained one of Musallet's relatives. As a Palestinian living in the occupied West Bank, Shalabi faced restricted movement under occupation. Like many others there – who say Israel's stranglehold on the Palestinian economy hugely restricts employment opportunities – Shalabi was unable to find steady work and did whatever daily jobs he could find, said his uncle Samer Shalabi (55). Still, his uncle called Shalabi a 'happy kid' who would do 'things for the family to make their life easier'. [ Sanctions against individual settlers are hopelessly inadequate. The real settler organisation is Israel Opens in new window ] The day after his death, dozens of women sat in Shalabi's home, red-eyed and in shock. In the middle was his mother, Jumana Shalabi. She described the hours, on Friday, after she heard there were clashes and someone had died. 'My heart was worried,' she said. Because the military blocked the roads, witnesses said, friends and relatives were not able to search for Shalabi until late on Friday night, when they discovered his body. His mother believed he could have survived if he received medical attention sooner. 'He is the warmest son, warm with everybody. All the people in the neighbourhood, they loved him,' she said, crying again. Israeli human rights organisation B'tselem has documented at least 40 attacks by settlers in Sinjil over the last five years, including them setting fire to vehicles and homes in January this year, and last year cutting down olive trees, vandalising cars, stealing water tanks and chasing harvesters off their land with a drone. In 2022, settlement watchdog Kerem Navot wrote : 'It's clear that the settlers ... have their eyes on the land of the village of Sinjil,' saying an area of around 1,200 acres had been 'marked as a target for takeover decades ago'. As the settlers advanced, residents of Al-Mazra'a ash-Sharqiya and Sinjil issued calls to journalists. On July 4th, they invited The Irish Times to a 'civil peaceful demonstration and protest', saying, 'We can't access our lands due to the settlers' violent act[s] toward us. We have farms, homes and property and lands that we cannot attend to due to Israeli settlers blocking the roads, shooting at us, and throwing rocks on our vehicles.' Diana, a cousin of Sayfollah Musallet, reads a family statement the day after his death. Photograph: Sally Hayden A civil defence volunteer used his vehicle to transport wounded people following Friday's violence. Photograph: Sally Hayden Blood stains were still visible in a vehicle used to transport injured people the day after Friday's violence. Photograph: Sally Hayden One week later, the two young men were killed. Residents said more people were injured, with one civil defence volunteer showing The Irish Times streaked blood inside the vehicle he said he used to transport wounded people before the roads were blocked. At least 1,161 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the beginning of 2023, according to the UN, including at least 22 women and 236 children. The vast majority – 884 – were killed by live ammunition, the UN says. Over the same period, at least 59 Israelis were killed in the West Bank, including nine women and nine children. Musallet's friend from the US, who asked to be identified only by his first name, Juma, said they were part of a 'bunch of guys in Tampa who used to hang out every day ... We used to go to his house just to chill. We used to go to the pool, we used to go to the range, we used to go fishing together'. Juma – whose family is originally from the same area – called Musallet 'the best of us ... He never drank, he never did any drugs. This kid was just the best human being you'll ever meet in your life'. [ Three Palestinians killed by Israeli army during raid by settlers Opens in new window ] The 23-year-old said he finds being an American citizen 'very difficult' now. 'The country I live in supports the killing of my people. It's hard ... You see what's happening in Gaza. I hope something changes ... You can see this new generation that's coming up. They're becoming more aware of what's going on around the world ... They're seeing what they're seeing.' 'What happened is something that is not acceptable, not easy to deal with,' said Shalabi's uncle, Samer. 'Two kids who were killed in a very cold blood ... If you look at the eyes of the people you find the anger and sadness.' He said locals are terrified now, 'but even with that, they will never leave here ... It's our country. We're going to stay here. There's no other place for us'.
