American Deaths in West Bank Spark Calls for Investigation
US senators demand independent probe after 9 Americans killed by Israeli settlers or soldiers in the West Bank without justice or accountability
More than 30 US senators have signed a letter demanding that the Trump administration open an independent investigation into the February killing of a 19-year-old American in the occupied West Bank, the ninth US citizen killed by Israeli soldiers or settlers since 2022.
The letter, led by the senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and addressed to the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio; the US attorney general, Pam Bondi; and the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, asks for a US-led investigation and a full accounting of where all nine cases stand, and for the administration to brief Congress on the killing by 5 April. None of the cases have resulted in...
The lawmakers cite a "consistent pattern" in which Americans are being killed "without justice or accountability". The letter states that "the lack of a thorough and transparent investigation, and the failure to hold perpetrators accountable, is deeply concerning and unacceptable".
The 19-year-old American, Mahmoud Odeh, was shot and killed by Israeli forces on 15 February during a raid in the village of Silwad, near Ramallah. According to the Israeli military, troops opened fire after Odeh threw Molotov cocktails at them.
However, the senators argue that the US government has not conducted a thorough investigation into Odeh's death or the eight other cases of Americans killed in the West Bank since 2022. They are urging the administration to take action and provide answers to the American public and the victims' families.
The letter highlights the broader issue of violence and lack of accountability in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli settlers and soldiers have been accused of numerous attacks on Palestinian civilians with little to no consequences. The senators are calling for a comprehensive review of US policies and support for Israel in light of these troubling incidents.
The demand for an independent investigation underscores the growing frustration and concern among US lawmakers over the deaths of American citizens in the Israeli-occupied territories. With no clear resolution or accountability in these cases, the senators are pressing the administration to take swift and meaningful action to protect US citizens and uphold the principles of justice and human rights.
Source: The Guardian
