US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has made a public plea for Israeli authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the recent killing of a Palestinian-American in the occupied West Bank. The victim, Sayfollah Musallet, affectionately known as Saif, was a 20-year-old dual US citizen from Florida, who tragically lost his life after reportedly being beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the town of Sinjil last Friday evening.
According to the Palestinian health ministry, the brutal assault highlights a pressing need for accountability, and Huckabee described the event as a "criminal and terrorist act." Posting on social media, he emphasized that "there must be accountability" for the incident, noting that Musallet was just 20 years old at the time of his death. The ambassador's comments came after an initially muted response from the US that raised eyebrows among many observers.
The incident reportedly unfolded after the Israeli military claimed that a "violent confrontation developed" when "terrorists" threw stones at Israeli civilians. Both Musallet and his friend, Mohammed al-Shalabi, who was also killed in the altercation, were visiting family in Sinjil when the violence occurred. The Palestinian health ministry reported that al-Shalabi, aged 23, died after being shot in the chest during the confrontation.
Musallet's family contended that he was merely attempting to protect his family's land from what they described as settlers trying to encroach upon it. Disturbingly, they noted that Israeli settlers also obstructed an ambulance that was on its way to assist Musallet—who ultimately succumbed to his injuries before reaching a hospital.
Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas and a vocal supporter of Israeli settlements—often viewed as illegal under international law—has received backlash from opposition Democrats in the US for his previous comments regarding the ongoing conflict in the region. His staunch advocacy for a vision of a "greater Israel" reflects a contentious political backdrop, particularly in light of recent tensions surrounding Israeli ministers' incitements to violence against Palestinian communities.
Musallet's family has now appealed for the US State Department to initiate its own investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, further complicating an already fraught geopolitical landscape.
