US Ambassador calls on Israel to “investigate” the murder of the West Bank

Israel’s US ambassador Mike Hukabi says he has asked Israeli authorities to “aggressively investigate” the murder of Palestinian-American on the occupied West coast.

Sayfollah Musallat, known as SAIF – a 20 -year -old US citizen – was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the city of Sindzhil on Friday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

After an initially muted US reaction, Huckabee – a supporter of Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories – described it as a “criminal and terrorist act” on Tuesday.

At a news briefing on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said a meeting for the murder will be held on Thursday, adding, “They will tell me about me.”

On Friday, Israeli military said they were investigating, claiming that “violent confrontation had developed” after “terrorists” threw stones at Israeli civilians.

Sif Musalat lived in Tampa, Florida and visited relatives in Sindzhil, north of Ramala when he was killed with his friend Mohammed Al Shalaby.

Al-Salabi, who lived in a town nearby, died after being shot in the chest, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported. He was 23 years old.

Musalat’s family said their relative “protects the land of his family from settlers trying to steal him.”

Israeli settlers also blocked an ambulance trying to reach Musalat, who died before he could reach the hospital, they added.

The family calls on the US State Department to conduct an investigation.

In his reaction on Tuesday, Huckabee wrote on x: “There must be accountability of this criminal and terrorist act. Sif was only 20 years old.”

The American ambassador, a former governor of Arkansas and an Evangelical Christian, has previously expressed strong support for Israeli settlements – which are considered illegal under international law.

Hukabi has also been criticized by opposition Democrats in the United States for his previous statements about the ongoing war in Gaza.

He supported the idea of “greater Israel” – where Israel would have constant control over the occupied Palestinian territories – and used the biblical term “Judea and Samaria” to refer to the west coast.

Last month he criticized US alliesIncluding the United Kingdom and Australia, for the sanction of two far -right Israeli officials for “multiple incitement of violence against Palestinian communities” on the west coast.