Family of Palestinian-American man killed in West Bank demand accountability

BBC World · Feb 21, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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2 hours agoTom BatemanState Department correspondentAmmar Awad via ReutersThe mother of Nasrallah Abu Siyam, 19, grieves at his funeral on ThursdayThe family of a 19-year-old Palestinian-American man who they say was shot dead by an Israeli settler in the occupied West Bank have called for accountability over his killing.Nasrallah Abu Siyam was shot near the city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, becoming at least the sixth American citizen killed by Israeli settlers or soldiers in the territory in the last two years. The Trump administration said it stood ready to provide consular assistance, but did not respond to claims its policies had failed to stem a surge in settler violence.The Israeli embassy in Washington said the incident was under review and an "operational inquiry... must be completed as soon as possible".Abu Siyam was a US citizen born in Philadelphia.His family said he was among approximately 30 residents of the village of Mukhmas who were trying to stop armed settlers from stealing their goats on Wednesday. As both residents and settlers threw stones, said one witness, settlers shot at least three of the villagers, including Abu Siyam, who was struck fatally. Abdulhamid Siyam, cousin to Abu Siyam, told the BBC that the 19-year-old's death was a "big loss" and the actions of settlers in the West Bank had gone unchecked."A young man of 19 shot and killed in this cold blood and no responsibility, impunity completely," he said.The Trump administration has faced criticism from rights groups for lifting Biden-era sanctions on violent settlers, who have rarely faced criminal punishments from Israeli authorities. The US State Department said it was aware of the death of a US citizen and was "carefully monitoring the situation". A spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said that soldiers had attended the scene and used "riot dispersal means to restore order". "No IDF fire was reported during the course of the incident," the IDF statement said. The spokesperson confirmed that the incident was under review, and said "a continuous military presence" would remain in the area in the coming days to prevent further incidents.