US Ambassador Meets Palestinian-Americans Amid Settler Violence Concerns

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Hackaby met on Tuesday with Palestinian-Americans in the West Bank village of Turmus Ayya, many of whom are relatives of U.S. citizens killed by Israeli settlers. The meeting occurred against a backdrop of rising settler violence in the West Bank and increasing international criticism of Israel's handling of the issue. The head of the Turmus Ayya council stated that approximately 80% of the village's 3,000 residents are American citizens who regularly face settler attacks.

Ambassador Hackaby described the meeting as "productive" and emphasized the U.S. responsibility for its citizens, stating, "You are Americans. You hold an American passport. You are our responsibility. That is why we are here." He condemned acts of vandalism, arson, and property damage, including the recent graffiti and attempted arson of a mosque, labeling them not just criminal offenses but acts of terror. He argued that such actions, which force residents to alter their lives due to fear, constitute terrorism.

Hackaby acknowledged that the embassy lacks the authority to arrest, investigate, or prosecute suspects but asserted that the United States possesses the capability to exert pressure. "The United States, being a very large and powerful country, is able to express our country's will and exert pressure to achieve a certain solution," he said. He suggested that the Israeli government has an interest in acting against perpetrators of "criminal behavior and terror," characterizing them as a "tiny group" of a few hundred individuals damaging Israel's reputation.

However, Yasser Alqam, a Palestinian-American and spokesperson for the local council, disputed Hackaby's assessment of the number of perpetrators, claiming they number in the thousands rather than hundreds. Alqam stated, "The United States has the ability to pressure Israel, at least to stop these settlers, who are known to the authorities." Among those present was Heba Jabara, a Palestinian-American whose U.S. citizen husband was killed by settlers in 2023. She expressed hope that the U.S. administration would help protect residents and voiced concerns for her children's safety. Since 2024, at least six Palestinian-Americans have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers.