Latest news with #terroristact
Al Arabiya
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
US demands probe of Palestinian-American's killing by Israeli settlers
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on Tuesday he had asked Israel to 'aggressively investigate' the killing of a Palestinian-American who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, describing it as a 'criminal and terrorist act.' The comments by Huckabee, a staunch supporter of Israeli settlement construction, mark a rare and pointed public intervention by the US following the death of a Palestinian-American in the Israeli-occupied territory. 'I have asked (Israel) to aggressively investigate the murder of Saif Musallet, an American citizen who was visiting family in Sinjil when he was beaten to death,' Huckabee wrote on X, referring to a town north of Ramallah. Musallet, 20, whose full first name is Sayafollah, was severely beaten in the incident on Friday evening. His family, who are from Florida, say that medics failed to reach him for hours and that he died before reaching the hospital. Israel's military has said it is probing the incident. It says confrontations between Palestinians and settlers broke out after Palestinians threw rocks at Israelis, lightly injuring them. It says its forces used non-lethal weapons to disperse the parties. Reuters has not been able to corroborate either side's account. Settler attacks on Palestinians and Palestinian attacks on Israelis in the West Bank have risen since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023, though violence has long simmered in the territory. Israeli killings of US citizens in the West Bank in recent years include those of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, Palestinian-American teenager Omar Mohammad Rabea and Turkish-American Aysenur Ezgi Eygi. Palestinians have also killed or injured Israeli-American dual nationals in the West Bank in recent years. In March 2023, Israeli-American Elan Ganeles, then 27, was shot dead in his car on a highway in the West Bank's Jordan Valley. The United Nations' highest court said last year that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, and settlements there were illegal and should be withdrawn as soon as possible. Israel disputes this, citing security needs as well as historical and biblical ties to the land, which it captured in the 1967 Middle East war. The West Bank is among the territories Palestinians seek for an independent state. US President Donald 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.
Reuters
5 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
US demands probe of Palestinian American's killing by Israeli settlers
WASHINGTON, July 15 (Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on Tuesday he had asked Israel to "aggressively investigate" the killing of a Palestinian American who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, describing it as a "criminal and terrorist act." The comments by Huckabee, a staunch supporter of Israeli settlement construction, mark a rare and pointed public intervention by the U.S. following the death of a Palestinian American in the Israeli-occupied territory. "I have asked (Israel) to aggressively investigate the murder of Saif Musallet, an American citizen who was visiting family in Sinjil when he was beaten to death," Huckabee wrote on X, referring to a town north of Ramallah. Musallet, 20, whose full first name is Sayafollah, was severely beaten in the incident on Friday evening. His family, who are from Florida, say that medics failed to reach him for hours and that he died before reaching the hospital. Israel's military has said it is probing the incident. It says confrontations between Palestinians and settlers broke out after Palestinians threw rocks at Israelis, lightly injuring them. It says its forces used non-lethal weapons to disperse the parties. Reuters has not been able to corroborate either side's account. Settler attacks on Palestinians and Palestinian attacks on Israelis in the West Bank have risen since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023, though violence has long simmered in the territory. Israeli killings of U.S. citizens in the West Bank in recent years include those of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, Palestinian American teenager Omar Mohammad Rabea and Turkish American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi. Palestinians have also killed or injured Israeli American dual nationals in the West Bank in recent years. In March 2023, Israeli American Elan Ganeles, then 27, was shot dead in his car on a highway in the West Bank's Jordan Valley. The United Nations' highest court said last year that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, and settlements there were illegal and should be withdrawn as soon as possible. Israel disputes this, citing security needs as well as historical and biblical ties to the land, which it captured in the 1967 Middle East war. The West Bank is among the territories Palestinians seek for an independent state. U.S. President Donald 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.
Al Jazeera
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
US asks Israel to probe ‘terrorist' killing of American citizen by settlers
The administration of United States President Donald Trump has called on Israel to probe the killing of 20-year-old American citizen Sayfollah Musallet, who was beaten to death by settlers in the occupied West Bank, calling the incident a 'terrorist act'. Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, said on Tuesday that he asked Israel to 'aggressively investigate' the killing of the Florida-born Musallet, who was visiting family when he was attacked in the Palestinian town of Sinjil. 'There must be accountability for this criminal and terrorist act,' Huckabee wrote in a social media post. 'Saif was just 20 yrs old.' The US envoy's statement stops short of backing the Musallet family's demand for Washington to launch its own probe into the killing. Critics say Israel rarely holds its settlers or soldiers accountable for abuses against Palestinians. Musllet was the ninth US citizen to be killed by Israel since 2022. None of the previous cases has led to criminal charges. Yet, the strongly worded post marks a rare critical stance towards Israel by Huckabee, a staunch Israel supporter, who has previously said, 'There's really no such thing as a Palestinian.' Another Palestinian, identified by health officials as Mohammed Shalabi, was shot dead by settlers during the same attack that killed Musallet on Friday. Israeli settlers have been intensifying their assaults on Palestinian communities in the West Bank since the outbreak of the war on Gaza in 2023. Often protected by the Israeli military, settlers regularly descend from their illegal settlements onto Palestinian towns, where they ransack homes, cars and farms and attack anyone who may stand in their way. Several Western countries, including top allies of Israel, have imposed sanctions on far-right Israeli officials and groups over settler violence. Trump lifted sanctions related to settler attacks, put in place by his predecessor, Joe Biden, after returning to the White House earlier this year. The US provides Israel with billions of dollars in military aid annually. Over the past few days, several Congress members have called for accountability for Musallet. Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, called the killing of Musallet 'shocking and appalling'. 'The Israeli government must thoroughly investigate this killing and hold any and all settlers responsible for the brutal death of Mr Musallet accountable to the fullest extent of the law,' he said in a statement. Congressman Maxwell Frost, who represents a district in Florida, also decried the 'cold-blooded murder'. 'As our country's self-proclaimed peacemaker, Donald Trump has a moral and constitutional obligation to direct the State Department to conduct a thorough investigation and, more importantly, to demand full justice and accountability for those responsible for this heinous act,' Frost said in a statement. 'Our country must ensure the protection and safety of Americans abroad.' On Friday, Israel said it was 'investigating' what happened in Sinjil, claiming that the violence started when Palestinians threw rocks at an Israeli vehicle. 'Shortly thereafter, violent clashes developed in the area between Palestinians and Israeli civilians, which included the destruction of Palestinian property, arson, physical confrontations, and stone-throwing,' the Israeli military said in a statement. But Musallet's family has disputed any account of 'clashes', saying that a 'mob' of settlers surrounded the young Palestinian American for three hours during the attack and prevented medics from reaching him. Florida's Republican politicians have been largely silent about the killing of Musallet. The offices of the state's two senators, Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, did not respond to Al Jazeera's request for comment. Since Musallet was killed on Friday, Scott has shared several social media posts in support of Israel.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Yahoo
Judge is stabbed to death in southern Iran
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A judge was stabbed to death on his way to work in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz on Tuesday morning, state media reported. A report by the official IRNA news agency called the killing a 'terrorist act," adding that two unidentified assailants are still at large. It identified the judge as Ehsum Bagheri, 38, who worked for the city's judicial department. Bagheri in the past worked as a prosecutor in the revolutionary court, which court deals with security and drug smuggling cases. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack Iran has witnessed other killings of judges in the past. In January, a man fatally shot two prominent hard-line judges in Iran's capital Tehran, both of whom allegedly took part in the mass execution of dissidents in 1980s.
Associated Press
27-05-2025
- Associated Press
Judge is stabbed to death in southern Iran
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A judge was stabbed to death on his way to work in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz on Tuesday morning, state media reported. A report by the official IRNA news agency called the killing a 'terrorist act,' adding that two unidentified assailants are still at large. It identified the judge as Ehsum Bagheri, 38, who worked for the city's judicial department. Bagheri in the past worked as a prosecutor in the revolutionary court, which court deals with security and drug smuggling cases. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack Iran has witnessed other killings of judges in the past. In January, a man fatally shot two prominent hard-line judges in Iran's capital Tehran, both of whom allegedly took part in the mass execution of dissidents in 1980s.
