Palestinian Americans residing in villages across the West Bank are experiencing intensifying violence from Israeli settlers, according to accounts from residents and village leaders. Many of these individuals maintain dual American citizenship and return to ancestral lands seasonally, including those from cities such as New York, Chicago, and New Jersey. The violence includes nighttime incursions by settlers in vehicles, gunfire, property destruction, and firebomb attacks. Village leadership reports that nine Palestinian Americans have been killed in the West Bank since 2022 by either settlers or the Israeli military.
The village of Turmus Ayya sits adjacent to an illegal Israeli outpost and faces regular attacks. Residents describe a pattern of intimidation tactics and property damage, with some homes now fortified with metal shutters and barbed wire. Yaser Alkam, head of Turmus Ayya’s village council and a former California resident, states that attacks are relentless and that one-sided violence leaves Palestinians with limited means to defend themselves. Another resident, Ghaith Odeh, whose family relocated to the village in 2021, recounted multiple incidents including arson, military raids, and gunfire near his home.
Residents have sought assistance from US embassy officials with mixed results. While some interventions have occurred, including an instance in late July when US embassy involvement reportedly led to Israeli military departure from a house, residents express frustration at the limited nature of American response. The State Department stated that all US citizens in the West Bank have access to consular services and that it condemns violence by any party, though it maintains the position that the United States does not support Israeli annexation of the West Bank.
The Trump administration’s approach has drawn criticism from residents. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, an evangelical Christian, has visited Shilo settlement twice and made statements expressing support for Israeli settlement expansion. Some residents noted that the current administration removed violent settlers from sanctions lists established under the previous administration. Several Palestinian American residents expressed disappointment, noting that despite some voting for Trump, they felt the administration had not adequately protected their interests or safety compared to how American citizens of other backgrounds might be treated.
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