Palestinian Sayfollah Musallat, 20, was killed by Israeli settlers in the town of Sinjil, northern Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank. Photo: X
Palestinian Sayfollah Musallat, 20, was killed by Israeli settlers in the town of Sinjil, northern Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank. Photo: X
Palestinian Sayfollah Musallat, 20, was killed by Israeli settlers in the town of Sinjil, northern Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank. Photo: X
Palestinian Sayfollah Musallat, 20, was killed by Israeli settlers in the town of Sinjil, northern Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank. Photo: X

US ambassador to Israel calls American’s death in West Bank a ‘terrorist act’


Willy Lowry
  • English
  • Arabic

Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, is calling for an investigation into the killing of a 20-year-old American citizen in the West Bank.

Israeli settlers beat Sayfollah Musallat to death last week in the village of Sinjil, to the north-east of Ramallah, according to his family and the Palestinian Health Ministry.

In a post on X, Mr Huckabee said he had urged the Israeli government to “aggressively investigate” Mr Musallat's death. “There must be accountability for this criminal and terrorist act,” he wrote.

The Israeli embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mr Musallat's family claim that settlers and Israeli military blocked aid from reaching him for several hours. His younger brother was eventually able to carry him to a waiting ambulance but Mr Mussallat died before reaching the hospital.

“We are devastated that our beloved Saif Musallat was brutally beaten to death in our family's land by illegal Israeli settlers who were attempting to steal it,” the family said.

Another Palestinian was killed in the attack and 10 wounded.

Settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has been on the rise since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on southern Israel.

Former president Joe Biden's administration imposed economic sanctions against certain settlers and groups to try to dissuade them from committing violence against Palestinians, but President Donald Trump scrapped the sanctions shortly after taking office.

Mr Huckabee, an evangelical preacher and former governor of Arkansas, is an avid supporter of Israel and often refers to the West Bank by its biblical name, Judea and Samaria.

Key developments in maritime dispute

2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier. 

2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus

2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.

2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.

2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.

War and the virus
UK's plans to cut net migration

Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.

Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.

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Updated: July 16, 2025, 2:36 AM