U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee held a meeting with Palestinian Americans in a town in the occupied West Bank that has experienced settler attacks, including incidents where U.S. citizens were killed. The visit coincides with mounting international criticism of settler violence and perceived Israeli government inaction.
Despite Israel’s condemnation of settler violence, arrests and prosecutions of perpetrators are infrequent. While the U.S. government has not publicly rebuked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration, it has urged for the prosecution of those responsible for the violence, with Huckabee denouncing them as terrorists.
Huckabee described his discussions with Palestinian American residents in Turmus Ayya, a town where many hold U.S. citizenship, as productive. The town has been subject to ongoing settler assaults, with the majority of its roughly 3,000 inhabitants being American citizens.
Israeli settlements, including Shiloh, surround Turmus Ayya, a place Huckabee has visited multiple times since 2025. He emphasized the need for Israeli authorities to address criminal acts and terrorism by a small group of settlers, damaging the country’s image.
In response to Huckabee’s statements, Yasser Alkam, a Palestinian American representative, refuted the characterization of a few hundred violent settlers, claiming there are thousands involved in attacks against Palestinians. The U.S. President, Donald Trump, lifted sanctions on far-right Israeli settler groups accused of violence in the West Bank shortly after reassuming office in January 2025.
During the meeting, a Palestinian American widow, Hadeel Jabara, whose husband was killed by settlers in 2023, expressed hope for U.S. intervention to ensure the safety of residents. Concerns over the safety of Palestinian Americans in the West Bank persist, with at least six individuals having been killed by Israeli military or settlers since 2024.