The village of Turmus Ayya in the West Bank has become a flashpoint of conflict where Palestinian American residents, many of whom are US citizens from cities including New York, Chicago, and New Jersey, face ongoing violence from Israeli settlers. Approximately 80% of the village’s residents hold US citizenship and return seasonally to maintain cultural connections and teach Arabic to their children. The settlers operate from an illegal outpost staffed with individuals who claim sovereignty over the West Bank territory.
The violence in the area has intensified significantly, with residents reporting nighttime attacks involving off-road vehicles, gunfire, intimidation tactics, and property damage. Village council head Yaser Alkam, a former California resident, describes the situation as one-sided, with settlers attacking and villagers defending with limited resources. Among those accused of involvement in settler violence is Amishav Melet, whose brother died in a recent clash at another Palestinian village. Melet has publicly stated his belief that Jews should reclaim the entire West Bank, though he has denied personal involvement in violent incidents.
The US response has been inconsistent. Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, has visited nearby Shilo settlement twice in recent years and has expressed support for Jewish presence in the territory. In 2025, Huckabee told residents that President Trump supports their position. While the US embassy has occasionally intervened—most recently in late July to help remove Israeli military forces from a home owned by a Palestinian American doctor—nine Palestinian Americans have been killed in the West Bank since 2022. The State Department stated that it condemns violence by all parties and maintains dialogue on regional stability, while reaffirming that the administration does not support Israeli annexation of the West Bank.
Residents express frustration that despite US citizens being targeted by other US citizens, the current administration has removed violent settlers from sanctions lists previously established under the Biden administration. The conflict predates the 2023 Hamas attacks and subsequent Gaza war, though violence has escalated over the past year. Some residents who previously supported Trump have lost confidence in the administration’s commitment to their protection.
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