Palestinian American Saif Musallet’s killing in Israeli-occupied West Financial institution attracts U.S. name for investigation by way of NewsFlicks

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee stated Tuesday that he had “requested Israel to aggressively examine the homicide” of Saif Musallet, a Palestinian American nationwide who was once visiting circle of relatives within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution when “he was once crushed to loss of life.” 

“There will have to be duty for this prison and terrorist act,” Huckabee stated in a social media submit. “Saif was once simply 20 yrs outdated.”

The circle of relatives of Musallet, whose complete title was once Saifullah Kamel Musallet, advised CBS Information on Saturday that he was once crushed to loss of life on Friday by way of Israeli settlers within the West Financial institution. 

In a remark, they stated he was once killed in a disagreement with settlers whilst making an attempt to give protection to his circle of relatives’s land within the the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah, and that the settlers had surrounded him for greater than 3 hours, blocking off an ambulance and paramedics from achieving him.

The circle of relatives’s remark stated his more youthful brother carried him to an ambulance after the gang cleared, however that Musallet died ahead of he was once ready to succeed in the health center. 

He were because of go back to his house in Tampa, Florida, this week, his family members stated.

Musallet’s killing comes amid an build up in violence within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution, a spokesperson for the United Countries Top Commissioner for Human Rights, Thameen Al-Kheetan, stated Tuesday.

“Israeli settlers and safety forces have intensified their killings, assaults and harassment of Palestinians within the occupied West Financial institution, together with East Jerusalem, previously weeks,” Al-Kheetan stated.

He stated that “all through the primary part of 2025, there were 757 settler assaults that ended in Palestinian casualties or assets harm – a 13 in line with cent build up at the identical length in 2024.”

“Israel will have to straight away prevent those killings, harassment and residential demolitions around the occupied Palestinian territory,” Al-Kheetan stated. “Because the occupying energy, Israel will have to take all possible measures to make sure public order and protection within the West Financial institution. It’s underneath the duty to give protection to Palestinians from settler assaults and to finish the illegal use of power by way of its safety forces. There will have to be thorough, impartial and clear investigations into all killings and all different alleged violations of world regulation. The ones accountable will have to be held to account.”

The Israel Protection Forces advised CBS Information on Wednesday that straight away “following the incident, a joint investigation was once introduced by way of the Israel Police and the Army Police Prison Investigation Department.” 

The Israeli police didn’t straight away reply Wednesday to a CBS Information request for remark at the investigation.

On Thursday, a U.S. State Division spokesperson introduced condolences to the circle of relatives and stated it was once offering consular help. Israeli government have introduced the arrest of six other folks in reference to the incident, the spokesperson stated. 

Final week, the Florida bankruptcy of the Council on American-Islamic Members of the family (CAIR) known as on President Trump to carry Israel in charge of Musallet’s loss of life and “put The us first.” 

“This homicide is handiest the most recent killing of an American citizen by way of unlawful Israeli settlers or squaddies,” CAIR-Florida Government Director Imam Abdullah Jaber stated in a remark. “Each different homicide of an American citizen has long gone unpunished by way of the American govt, which is why the Israeli govt helps to keep wantonly killing American Palestinians and, after all, different Palestinians. If President Trump won’t even put The us first when Israel murders Americans, then that is in point of fact an Israel First management.”

Different U.S. voters who’ve been killed within the Israel-occupied West Financial institution come with Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who died in 2022, and activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who was once killed remaining 12 months. Each had been allegedly killed by way of Israeli forces, and the Israeli army has stated it’s investigating, however no one has been held in charge of both in their deaths so far.