Escalating Violence in West Bank: Two Palestinians, Including U.S. Citizen, Killed in Settler Attack
Palestinian American killed in Israeli settler attack in West Bank
On Friday, two Palestinians, one of whom was an American citizen, lost their lives during an attack by Israeli settlers in the village of Sinjil, located in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Health. This marks the first death of a Palestinian American in the region since President Trump took office in January 2025. On his first day, Trump reversed Biden-era sanctions on settlers involved in attacks against Palestinian civilians, a move that has coincided with a surge in such violence since the Gaza war began in 2023.
The Palestinian Authority reported that 23-year-old Saif al-Din Kamel Abdul Karim Musallat, a Florida-born U.S. citizen, was beaten to death during the assault. Another Palestinian was shot and killed, his body discovered hours later after he went missing. Local sources indicated the attack erupted when Palestinians from Sinjil attempted to access their private land near a settler outpost.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) offered a different account, claiming that “terrorists” initiated the conflict by throwing stones at Israeli civilians near Sinjil, lightly injuring two. The IDF described the incident as a “violent confrontation” involving vandalism of Palestinian property, arson, physical clashes, and stone-throwing targeting Palestinians. The IDF acknowledged reports of a Palestinian death and injuries, noting that police are investigating.
The Trump administration has shown minimal engagement with the escalating tensions in the West Bank. Secretary of State Rubio has reduced the authority of the U.S. security coordinator in the region and eliminated direct reporting from the Palestinian Affairs unit at the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem to the State Department. Neither the White House nor the State Department has publicly criticized Israeli policies in the West Bank.
A State Department official stated, “The safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas is our top priority,” in response to the reported death of a U.S. citizen in the West Bank.