A coalition of Democratic senators and representatives has written to Trump administration officials expressing concerns about what they characterize as escalating violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. The letter, addressed to the acting attorney general, secretary of state, and treasury secretary, argues that recent policy decisions have created conditions for settlers to operate without accountability.
The Democrats point to the administration’s decision on its first day in office to rescind sanctions against more than 30 settlers and organizations previously designated as linked to violence. According to the letter, this action “sent a clear message” that settlers could employ force against Palestinians and Americans while seizing land without facing consequences. The lawmakers cite UN data indicating 1,835 attacks on Palestinian communities and property during 2025, described as the highest number since records began.
The letter highlights concerns about American citizens affected by the violence. The signatories note that nine US citizens have been killed in the West Bank since 2022, with four of those deaths occurring since the Trump administration returned to office. The letter names seven individuals by name and age, including a Palestinian American journalist and teenagers. The Democrats also raise concerns about US citizens detained by Israeli military forces, including a 20-year-old woman and a teenager who was detained for nine months.
The letter argues that the justice department has authority to investigate killings of Americans abroad but “has reportedly not opened investigations into any of the killings since 2025.” It also notes that Israel has not indicted anyone in connection with these deaths. The lawmakers specifically mention attacks on Turmus Ayya, a Palestinian town with a majority US citizen population, and Taybeh, described as the last entirely Christian village in the West Bank.
The signatories call on the administration to restore sanctions, conduct independent investigations, secure the release of detained US citizens, and end what they describe as “unjust and arbitrary detentions.” The letter demands responses by 17 August and concludes that the administration’s approach has contributed to what the Democrats characterize as unprecedented rates of attack and displacement in the territory.
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