Members of Congress must also demand Trump administration hold Israel accountable for government-backed settler violence
Join the Council on American-Islamic Relations by taking action and urging your members of Congress to demand that they condemn the murder of U.S. citizen Sayfollah (“Saif”) Musallet by illegal Israeli settlers, ensure that the Department of Justice brings the perpetrators to justice, and demand that the Trump administration hold the Israeli government accountable for settler violence.
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On July 11, 2025, 20-year-old American citizen Sayfollah Musallet was reportedly beaten to death by a mob of illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. He was born in Florida, raised in Port Charlotte, and killed in broad daylight—with the support and protection of the Israeli government.
This was not an isolated incident. It was part of a long, unpunished pattern of violence against U.S. citizens by Israeli soldiers and settlers. Americans like journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, peace activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 80-year-old Omar Assad, 14-year-old Omar Mohammad Rabea, and human rights defender Rachel Corrie were also killed. In each case, the U.S. government failed to hold anyone accountable. That must end now.
Congress must act. CAIR urges lawmakers to:
- Publicly condemn the murder of Sayfollah Musallet by illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
- Press the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate and prosecute those responsible for killing U.S. citizens abroad—including Musallet, Shireen Abu Akleh, Omar Assad, Rachel Corrie, and others.
- Demand that the Trump administration stop shielding Israel from accountability and hold the Israeli government responsible for enabling and escalating settler violence.
Earlier this year, CAIR sent a formal letter to the DOJ urging prosecution of Israeli perpetrators involved in the killings of American citizens. In response, the DOJ wrongly claimed it lacked authority to investigate these murders—despite having clear legal tools at its disposal.
The U.S. government can act—if it wants to. The DOJ and State Department must:
- Invoke the U.S.-Israel Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to collect evidence, seek testimony, and compel Israeli cooperation;
- Open DOJ criminal investigations into the deaths of U.S. citizens at the hands of Israeli settlers and soldiers;
- Affirm publicly and unequivocally that American law protects all citizens equally—regardless of who kills them or where the crime takes place.
Only by taking action can we pressure the U.S. government to finally ensure that countries like Israel do not kill Americans with impunity!