Family Demands Justice for Sayfollah Musallet After Fatal Attack by Israeli Settlers

Family Demands Justice for Sayfollah Musallet After Fatal Attack by Israeli Settlers

Justice for Sayfollah Musallet’s brutal killing in the West Bank. They’re calling on the Trump administration to provide justice for the tragedy’s victims and punish those culpable. At the time of his tragic and fatal beating to death, Musallet was returning from a family visit to relatives around Ramallah. A 23-year-old Palestinian man was violently killed during the same incident. The attack is part of a concerning and intensifying pattern of violence across the region. Since Hamas started its attacks on Israel in October this year, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed and at least 9,000 injured.

Musallet was in the West Bank enjoying time with family, barbecuing and exploring the mountains in the days leading up to his death. On the day of the attack, he attempted to protect his family’s farm from invading settlers when he was struck with clubs and bats. Eyewitness accounts paint a picture of a horrifying encounter. Israeli settlers prevented ambulances from reaching the wounded, leading a brother to watch helplessly as Musallet bled out.

At an emotional press conference arranged in that Florida city on Monday afternoon, Musallet’s family members articulated their grief and anger. They emphasized their desire for the U.S. government, specifically the departments of Justice and State, to prosecute his killers under American law.

“We’re not asking, and his family is not asking, for silence. We’re asking for accountability.” – Hiba Rahim

Family members characterized Musallet as a colorful and outgoing young man who loved baseball. Just this summer, he and his cousins joined together to launch a new ice-cream shop in Tampa. He was known for his warm personality and enjoyed spending time with friends after work, often engaging in activities such as watching comedy shows, driving, and visiting the beach.

Hasem Musallet, Sayfollah’s uncle, shared heartfelt memories of his nephew, stating, “He was very loving, caring. Just like any other 20-year-old he would go out with his friends after work, he’d watch comedy, he’d go out driving, he’d go to the beach.” Hasem underscored their family’s tight-knit nature and how Sayfollah would frequently visit his grandmother to display love and affection.

The attack on Musallet and Razek Hussein al-Shalabi, the latter a former city council member, is most troubling. Razek was shot and left to bleed to death in the same confrontation, shedding light on horrific patterns of violence against Americans in Israel. Family members are calling on the federal government to explain why there is no accountability for such a violation of rights.

“If Sayfollah was killed by anyone else or in another country, there would already be investigations, there would already be attempts for arrest, and calls for arrest and outrage in Washington.” – Hiba Rahim

The Israeli army responded, asserting that the confrontation began when they were attacked with rocks. They claim that this resulted in a dangerous confrontation. They’ve mentioned they are investigating the incident. Many in the community are pushing back against this narrative. They are alarmed by the increase in violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers and military.

As Hiba Rahim from Stop LAPD Spying Coalition emphasized, this case wasn’t a one-off. She stated, “This is [not an isolated tragedy]. There’s a devastating pattern of Americans being killed in Israel, brutalized and murdered with impunity by Israeli forces and settlers.”

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