At least 9 Americans killed by Israelis in West Bank, senators demand probe into killing of Nasrallah Abu Siyam and others
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "At least 9 Americans killed by Israelis in West Bank, senators demand probe into killing of Nasrallah Abu Siyam and others")
US President Donald Trump, Philadelphia born Nasrallah Abu Siyam Photograph: (Combination created using images from AFP and X)
Why are US senators demanding an investigation into the killing of an American teen in the West Bank?
Over 30 lawmakers allege that the death of Nasrallah Abu Siyam could be part of a troubling pattern of Americans killed without accountability. Scroll down to read more.
More than 30 US senators have urged the Donald Trump administration to launch an independent investigation into the killing of a 19-year-old American in the occupied West Bank, warning that a growing number of similar cases have passed without accountability. In a letter sent Wednesday (Mar 4), lawmakers asked the administration to examine the February killing of Nasrallah Abu Siyam, a Philadelphia-born teenager who was shot in the West Bank village of Mukhmas.
Lawmakers flag "consistent pattern"
The letter, led by Maryland senator Chris Van Hollen, is addressed to the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; the US Attorney General, Pam Bondi; and the US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. It demands a US-led investigation into Nasrallah Abu Siyam's death and a full accounting of nine cases in which American citizens have been killed in the West Bank since 2022. They also requested that lawmakers be briefed in Congress by April 5.
“This has now become a consistent pattern in which Americans are being killed in the West Bank by settlers or the [Israel Defense Forces (IDF)] without justice or accountability, despite promises from US officials,” the senators wrote.
The killing in Mukhmas
Trending Stories
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
Nasrallah Abu Siyam, an American by birth, was shot on February 18 in the West Bank village of Mukhmas during an attack on Palestinian farmers, according to witness accounts. Residents said a group of masked Israeli settlers confronted farmers in the village. Israeli soldiers were reportedly present at the scene but did not intervene, provide medical assistance or make arrests.
The US State Department confirmed the death of an American citizen at the time and said it expected “a full, thorough and transparent investigation.” Officials added that the US embassy in Jerusalem had been in contact with the family.
“We condemn criminal violence by any party in the West Bank,” a department spokesperson said, “and take particular interest in this case due to our duty to protect American citizens”. The statement, however, did not indicate whether Washington would conduct its own probe.
Also read | 'It's a question of time': Trump vows to turn US focus to THIS neighbour once Iran war is 'finished'
At least 9 Americans killed by Israelis in West Bank: A pattern of unresolved cases
Thursday’s letter was signed by 31 Democratic and independent senators, including senior figures such as Patty Murray, Dick Durbin, Jack Reed and Bernie Sanders.
None of the nine killings of US citizens in the West Bank since 2022 has led to a criminal conviction, the senators noted. “For all nine of these killings, no one has yet been held accountable by the Netanyahu government,” they wrote, “nor has the US government upheld its duty to protect Americans and secure justice and accountability for their deaths.”
The 9 Americans killed in the West Bank
Among the victims was Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead while covering an Israeli military operation in 2022. Others are: Omar Assad, an elderly Palestinian American who died following his detention by Israeli soldiers; Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, from Seattle, was also shot in the head during a West Bank protest in 2024; Khamis al-Ayyada, 40, died of smoke inhalation in August after a fire was set by Israeli settlers in his village. Out of the nine individuals, three were underage: a 14-year-old from New Jersey and two 17-year-olds who died in distinct occurrences.
