Washington asks Israel to investigate the killing of an American citizen by settlers as an act of terrorism.

The administration of US President Donald Trump called on Israel to investigate the killing of 20-year-old American citizen Saifallah Muslat, who was beaten to death by settlers in the occupied West Bank, describing the incident as an "act of terrorism."

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Tuesday he had asked Israel to "seriously investigate" the killing of Maslat, a Florida native who was visiting family when he was attacked in the Palestinian town of Sinjil.

"The perpetrators of this criminal and terrorist act must be held accountable. Saif was only 20 years old," Huckabee wrote in a social media post.

Huckabee's strongly worded post represents a rare critical stance toward Israel by the US envoy, a staunch supporter of Israel who has previously said, "There really is no such thing as a Palestinian."

However, the US ambassador's statement did not respond to the Maslat family's demand that Washington open its own investigation into the murder.

Records show that Israel rarely holds its settlers or soldiers accountable for violations against Palestinians. Notably, Muslat is the ninth American citizen killed by Israel since 2022. None of the previous cases resulted in criminal charges.

The Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU) Policy Project said that Israel should not be trusted to "investigate the extremist settlers it enables at every step," renewing calls for an independent US investigation, according to the institute's website.

Another Palestinian, identified by Palestinian health officials as Mohammed Shalabi, was shot dead by settlers during the same attack that killed Muslat on Friday. Attacks on Palestinians have escalated during Israel's war on Gaza. Israeli settlers have intensified their attacks on Palestinian towns and villages in the occupied West Bank since Israel launched its war on Gaza in 2023. Settlers, often protected by the Israeli military, regularly descend from their illegal settlements into Palestinian towns, where they loot homes, cars, and farms and attack anyone who stands in their way.

Several Western countries, including major allies of Israel, have imposed sanctions on Israeli officials and far-right groups over settler violence. Trump lifted sanctions related to settler attacks imposed by his predecessor, Joe Biden, upon taking office on January 20, 2025.

The United States provides Israel with billions of dollars in military aid annually.

It's worth noting that in recent days, several members of Congress have called for Muslat to be held accountable. Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic minority leader in the House of Representatives, described Muslat's killing as "horrific and horrific."

"The Israeli government must thoroughly investigate this killing and hold all settlers responsible for Mr. Muslat's brutal death accountable to the fullest extent of the law," he said in a statement.

Congressman Maxwell Frost, a Florida district representative, also condemned the "cold-blooded murder."

“As our country’s so-called peacemaker, Donald Trump has a moral and constitutional obligation to direct the State Department to conduct a thorough investigation and, more importantly, demand justice and full accountability for those responsible for this heinous act,” Frost said in a statement.

"Our country must ensure the protection and safety of Americans abroad."

Israel announced on Friday that it was "investigating" what happened in the town of Sinjil, claiming that the violence began when Palestinians threw stones at an Israeli vehicle.

"Shortly afterward, violent clashes erupted in the area between Palestinians and Israeli civilians, including the destruction of Palestinian property, fires, physical confrontations, and stone-throwing," the Israeli military said in a statement. However, Muslat's family denied any account of "clashes," saying that a mob of settlers surrounded the Palestinian-American youth for three hours during the attack and prevented paramedics from reaching him.

In turn, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on Florida Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and Congresswoman Laurel Lee, who represents Muslat's constituency, to condemn the killing of the American citizen.

The rights group described the officials' silence as "complicity" rather than neutrality.

“When American citizens like Saif are killed abroad, especially by Israeli settlers supported by the Israeli government, turning a blind eye sends a dangerous message that some American lives are worthless,” CAIR wrote in a social media post. “We demand that they be improved.”