The Media Line: Palestinian American Death Under Investigation, Police Spokesperson’s Unit Says: ‘No Complaint, No Autopsy, No Evidence’ 

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Palestinian American Death Under Investigation, Police Spokesperson’s Unit Says: ‘No Complaint, No Autopsy, No Evidence’ 

The killing near Sinjil has intensified debate over West Bank clashes, competing claims of aggression, and the limits of accountability 

By Gabriel Colordo / The Media Line 

A young Palestinian American was killed on Friday near the West Bank village of Sinjil, triggering renewed scrutiny of Israeli conduct in the territory and prompting calls for a US-led investigation. Israeli officials say the fatal incident occurred during a violent confrontation between civilians, but they are investigating without a formal complaint, autopsy, or access to the body. 

The victim, Saif al-Din Kamil Abdul Karim Musalat, was a Florida-born US citizen in his early 20s visiting family in the West Bank. According to relatives, Musalat was attempting to protect family land from Israeli civilians trying to set up an unauthorized outpost when he was reportedly beaten for hours and died en route to the hospital. The family claims Israeli attackers blocked emergency responders and have called on Washington to investigate. 

“This is an unimaginable nightmare and injustice that no family should ever have to face,” the Musalat family said in a statement. “We demand the US State Department lead an immediate investigation and hold the Israeli settlers who killed Saif accountable for their crimes. We demand justice.” 

The US State Department confirmed Musalat’s death and said it is providing consular support to his family. “The US Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of US citizens overseas,” a spokesperson said, declining to comment further out of respect for the family’s privacy. 

The incident unfolded around 3 p.m., when Israeli authorities say Palestinians began throwing rocks at Israeli civilians near Sinjil, approximately 10 miles north of Ramallah. Security forces from the Israel Police and the IDF were dispatched to the scene. According to a police spokesperson, “Following reports of a physical confrontation between civilians in the area of Judea and Samaria, Israel Police and Border Police forces were deployed to the scene alongside the IDF to disperse the unrest and restore order.” 

Israeli authorities say the confrontation included property vandalism, arson, and rock throwing. Several individuals were detained: two Israeli civilians, two left-wing activists, one Palestinian, and one Israeli military reservist, who was later released after questioning. “An observation post was set up to document the events and gather evidence. The area was stabilized and the units withdrew,” the spokesperson told The Media Line. 

The Israel Police and IDF Military Police have opened a joint investigation. But the lack of a formal complaint, autopsy, or access to Musalat’s body has left police relying solely on media reports. “If you’re investigating a murder, you need to examine the body,” the police spokesperson said. “We want to hold people accountable, but right now, we’re investigating a murder claim without evidence. All we have are media reports.” 

A video released by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows Palestinians hurling stones at what appear to be Israeli civilians and vehicles. Israeli officials say this supports their version of events, in which Palestinian residents initiated the clash. 

The Binyamin Regional Council released an unusual statement on Shabbat, calling the incident a premeditated terror attack. According to the council, dozens of “terrorists and Arab rioters,” accompanied by anarchist activists, attacked Jewish shepherds with stones and slingshots, burned equipment, and injured two people. The IDF reportedly uncovered several explosive devices concealed in stone barriers, allegedly meant to target Israeli soldiers. The council demanded that the army investigate the use of live fire and described the incident as a deliberate effort to displace Jews from the area. 

Despite the absence of formal evidence, headlines around the world reported that Musalat had been “beaten to death by Israeli settlers.” No charges have been filed to support that claim. 

Hamas has claimed Musalat as a fighter. The group frequently issues such declarations posthumously for symbolic or propaganda purposes, often without presenting evidence of an operational affiliation. No information has been made public that links Musalat to Hamas in any verifiable way. 

Brig. Gen. (res.) Amir Avivi, founder of the Israel Defense and Security Forum and former IDF deputy comptroller, told The Media Line the case reflects a broader issue of narrative distortion. “You’re labeling an entire population, 150,000 normative Israeli citizens in Judea and Samaria, based on the actions of a tiny fringe,” he said. “To talk about ‘settler violence’ is almost a racist concept.” 

While acknowledging “there are small groups who may act outside the law,” Avivi said Israel’s institutions remain fully capable of handling such violations. “These individuals should be prosecuted accordingly. Israel is a state of law, and law is law.” 

He added: “If it’s classified as terrorism, the Shin Bet handles it. If it’s criminal, the police handle it. People are investigated. People are brought to justice.” 

Avivi rejected claims of systemic aggression from Israeli civilians, stating, “There’s no more violence in Judea and Samaria than in Tel Aviv.” He believes the international attention on West Bank clashes is part of an effort to delegitimize the Jewish right to live in the area. 

Member of Knesset Zvi Sukkot, of the Religious Zionism party and a longtime resident of Judea and Samaria, also spoke to The Media Line. He described the reaction to the Sinjil incident as disproportionate. “We didn’t attack anyone. We didn’t expel anyone. We bought land and live here,” he said. “But the Arabs attack us because they refuse to accept even a single Jew in this land.” 

Sukkot acknowledged isolated cases of violence by Jews but framed the broader dynamic differently: “In some specific cases, it’s possible a Jew attacked, but as a general rule, Arabs attack Jews, not the other way around.” Asked how civilian clashes emerge, he added: “People fight everywhere. It’s like asking how violence starts in Buenos Aires or New York. It happens.” 

Palestinian human rights advocate Issa Amro, founder of Youth Against Settlements, also spoke to The Media Line and described Musalat’s death as part of a broader strategy of forced displacement. “It’s not settler violence, it’s settler terror now,” he said. According to Amro, Israeli civilians and armed personnel cooperate to make life unbearable for Palestinians, driving them from Area C. “Itamar Ben-Gvir gave out 150,000 rifles in the last 20 months. The majority of the weapons were given to settlers,” he claimed. 

Avivi dismissed such accusations but said there is a broader philosophical gap. “For the Palestinian extremist worldview, there’s no difference between an Israeli living in Tel Aviv and one living in Judea and Samaria. To them, all Israelis are ‘settlers.’” 

Amro, offering his own perspective, said: “First settlers came to the West Bank, not the Palestinians going to Israeli cities. The settlers are occupying land which is Palestine. According to international law, the settlers are war criminals.” 

Avivi contended that the conflict was not only about territory but about narratives and legitimacy. “The entire Palestinian system, from the PA to Hamas and Islamic Jihad, is designed to produce violence and terror,” he said. “Yes, there is a fringe on the Israeli side that acts illegally, and they should be prosecuted. But on the Palestinian side, the whole system is built for confrontation.” 

He opposed the idea of physical separation of populations. “This isn’t about building walls to stop all contact,” he said. “No country eliminates all violence. What matters is the trend, and the general trend is that things are improving.” 

Amro disputed that assertion. “Even nonviolent resistance is illegal,” he said. “I was arrested, beaten, and convicted in military court for using a video camera.” On Musalat’s death, he said: “I think he was kidnapped while trying to defend a house or land, and beaten until he was dead,” though he admitted he did not witness the incident. 

“Palestinians die in silence,” Amro added. “The international media is not telling the truth. And without concrete action, this will continue. There will be no peace.” 

A second Palestinian, 23-year-old Mohammed Rizq Hussein al-Shalabi, was also killed during the incident. His body was found hours later with signs of severe bruising. It remains unclear whether he was shot by Israeli civilians or security personnel. Israeli police say they are attempting to coordinate with the Palestinian Authority to obtain access to both bodies for forensic examination. 

As the Israeli investigation continues without a formal complaint, physical evidence, or autopsy results, both sides remain locked in a broader struggle over facts and legitimacy. In a region defined by disputed boundaries and deep mistrust, truth remains entangled in the space between what is seen, what is claimed, and what can be proved. 

Felice Friedson and Giorgia Valente contributed to this report.