Turmus Ayya, a Palestinian village where approximately 80% of residents hold US citizenship, has experienced intensifying conflict with nearby Israeli settlers who have established an illegal outpost claiming sovereignty over the land. The village’s residents, many of whom maintain homes in cities including New York, Chicago, and New Jersey and return seasonally, describe nightly attacks involving gunfire, vehicle patrols, and property damage. Village council head Yaser Alkam, a retired attorney who previously lived in California for 35 years, characterizes the situation as one-sided aggression in which Palestinians defend with limited resources.
Among individuals accused of involvement in settler violence is Amishav Melet, whose public statements express the belief that Jewish residents should control all of the West Bank. Melet has denied connections to violent incidents. The broader context includes the Shilo settlement, described as an Israeli outpost located across a valley from Turmus Ayya, which has attracted American residents. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, an evangelical Christian, has visited Shilo twice within two years. The ambassador has made public statements supporting Jewish claims to occupied territories that settlers refer to as Judea and Samaria.
Palestinian American residents report that nine US citizens have been killed in the West Bank since 2022 in incidents involving either settlers or Israeli military forces. While residents indicate that US embassy staff have occasionally provided assistance during specific incidents, they express frustration that such interventions remain limited. The State Department stated that all US citizens in the West Bank have access to consular services and condemned violence by all parties, while reaffirming that the administration does not support Israeli annexation of the West Bank.
Residents including Ghaith Odeh, who grew up in New Jersey and relocated his family to Turmus Ayya in 2021, describe increasing vulnerability as the violence has escalated. Some residents expressed disappointment that the current administration removed certain settlers from sanctions lists previously established. The pattern of attacks has continued and intensified over the past year, according to accounts from village residents.
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