Father of Slain Palestinian-American Challenges Trump on ‘America First’ Policy

Kamel Musallet, the father of 23-year-old Sayfollah, who was tragically beaten to death by illegal Israeli settlers while under significant police protection last week, has criticized the silence from Trump and other American officials. Musallet argues this silence reveals a troubling double standard.

In a recent interview with Zeteo, Kamel expressed concerns over the handling of a Palestinian-American protester’s death in the West Bank, highlighting a perceived disparity in treatment based on nationality. The protester was reportedly killed by settlers, with Israeli forces accused of failing to intervene in the violence.

He raised concerns as to why Trump, despite frequently promoting the “America First” agenda, had not taken any action regarding an American citizen killed overseas. Meanwhile, both he and Vice President JD Vance opted to spend the weekend attending a soccer match and visiting Disneyland, respectively.

In a development that has sparked concern, over three days have passed since the tragic incident, yet no outreach has been made by officials from the White House or Congress to the family in Florida. The family has reportedly only received standard consular condolences, raising questions about the response to the incident.

Kamel raised the issue further, questioning, “When does this cease? Why are these individuals not being held accountable?” He referenced the deaths of seven Americans at the hands of Israeli forces or settlers in the last 21 months.

Florida’s Republican Senators, Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, have remained silent on the matter. The sole direct response from Musallet’s representatives came from Democratic Representative Kathy Castor. She released a concise statement conveying sorrow and calling on the administration to protect Americans overseas, notably without mentioning the identity of Musallet’s assailant.

A fatal incident occurred on July 11 near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli settlers launched a violent assault on Palestinian demonstrators. The protesters were opposing the creation of an illegal outpost in Area B, a region where settlement construction is expressly prohibited according to Israeli-Palestinian agreements.

An American investigative outlet, Drop Site News, reported that the attack also resulted in the fatal wounding of another protester, Muhammad Rizq Hussein al-Shalabi, due to gunfire.

The Palestinian Health Ministry has confirmed the death and reported that at least ten additional Palestinians were injured in the incident.

According to eyewitness accounts, settlers allegedly drove a vehicle into a protester and shattered the windows of an ambulance.

Israeli forces made their presence known but refrained from making any arrests, mirroring a recurring trend of inaction in handling settler violence throughout the West Bank.

A day earlier, Palestinian-American journalist Said Arikat, who serves as the correspondent for al-Quds newspaper in Washington, D.C., inquired with US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce regarding the measures in place to safeguard Palestinians and Palestinian-Americans from settler attacks.

Bruce refrained from offering precise points of contact, instead noting that “thousands of people” within the department “care deeply” about the matter. He directed victims to reach out to the Israeli government, referring to Tel Aviv as an ally.

When questioned about whether the United States would explicitly denounce assaults on Palestinian communities, Bruce refrained from specifics, opting instead to issue a broad expression of concern about violence “by any party.”