Family of US citizen shot dead by Israeli settler demands end to impunity
The family of a 19-year-old Palestinian-American man who was reportedly shot dead by an Israeli settler in the occupied West Bank is calling for those responsible to face justice, as concerns grow over rising settler attacks and the limited number of legal cases that follow.
The cousin of Nasrallah Abu Siyam, a US national born in Philadelphia who died on Wednesday near the city of Ramallah, said on Saturday that his killing reflected a wider pattern of impunity.
“A young man of 19 shot and killed in cold blood, and no responsibility… Impunity completely,” Abdulhamid Siyam told the BBC.
Abu Siyam’s death marks at least the sixth time in roughly two years that an American citizen has been killed in events involving Israeli settlers or military forces in the territory.
According to family members, Abu Siyam was part of a group of around 30 people from the village of Mukhmas who confronted armed settlers they believed were trying to take livestock from the community. Witness accounts say both groups threw stones before settlers began firing live rounds, injuring several residents.
Abu Siyam was hit during the shooting and later succumbed to his wounds.
Abdulhamid Siyam said that young Palestinian lives are lost without meaningful consequences, as he insisted that his cousin’s killing illustrates a broader climate where perpetrators are rarely held accountable.
The US State Department confirmed it was aware that an American citizen had died and said officials were closely observing developments. The US government added that consular support was available if needed.
The Israeli regime’s embassy in Washington said that the killing was being examined and that a formal operational investigation should be concluded quickly.
Palestinian groups and human rights advocates say that investigations of this kind seldom result in criminal charges, and that cases involving settler violence are frequently not pursued by Israeli authorities.
The incident occurred less than two weeks after the Israeli regime approved a set of broad measures aimed at accelerating settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, a decision that drew widespread criticism from the international community.
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