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A funeral has been held in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, both for a Palestinian American citizen from Tampa, Florida, and another Palestinian man. Palestinian officials say both were killed by Israeli settlers on Friday. NPR's Ruth Sherlock has this report.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: (Singing in Arabic).
RUTH SHERLOCK, BYLINE: The funeral for 21-year-old Palestinian American Sayfollah Musallet and 23-year-old Palestinian Hussein Al-Shalabi was equal parts sadness and rage over their killings.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: (Chanting in non-English language).
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: (Chanting in non-English language).
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: (Chanting in non-English language).
SHERLOCK: Musallet, who ran an ice cream shop in Tampa, Florida, was visiting family in their West Bank village. Residents say he joined a protest against Israeli settlers encroaching upon village land.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
KAMEL MUSALLET: These settlers came. They beat him.
SHERLOCK: Kamel Musallet, who flew from the United States to bury his son, in speaking to reporters cited witnesses who said settlers and soldiers blocked an ambulance from reaching his son for hours.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
MUSALLET: We demand justice against these settler terrorists. We demand the U.S. government to do something about it. They're always saying justice, justice, justice. But as Palestinians, they dehumanize us.
SHERLOCK: Musallet is the fifth American citizen reported killed in the West Bank since the Hamas-led attacks on Israel of October 7, 2023. The U.S. State Department has offered its condolences to the families and loved ones of Musallet and referred questions on any investigation to the Israeli government. Rights groups say settler violence has risen in the West Bank since the October 7 attacks.
UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Chanting in non-English language).
SHERLOCK: At Musallet's funeral, his cousin Ameen, who asked that NPR not use his full name because he feared Israeli retaliation, spoke of his frustration at the situation.
AMEEN: All these people are here because he is an American citizen. This happens every day in every other town, you know what I'm saying?
SHERLOCK: Rights groups say Israeli attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, whether by soldiers or civilians, are rarely prosecuted. In this case, Israel says it's opened an investigation, and Israeli police tell NPR they arrested one Israeli reservist soldier in connection with the killings. He said he opened fire in the air according to normal protocol. The Israeli military is now investigating his actions.
Ruth Sherlock, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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