Overview
- Twenty-nine Senate Democrats led by Sen. Chris Van Hollen sent a July 24 letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Attorney General Pam Bondi calling for an independent investigation into the July 11 beating death of 20-year-old Sayfollah Musallet in Sinjil.
- The letter highlights at least seven U.S. citizens killed in the West Bank since January 2022 with little to no accountability from Israeli authorities.
- U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee publicly urged Israel on July 15 to “aggressively investigate” Musallet’s death, labeling it a criminal and terrorist act.
- Israel Police say they are probing the incident, while the State and Justice Departments have not yet replied to the senators’ formal request.
- Lawmakers warned that a roughly 30 percent year-over-year surge in settler attacks underscores the need for stronger U.S. leverage to enforce human rights standards in the territory.