Daijiworld Media Network – Ramallah

Ramallah, Aug 2: The family of a 40-year-old American citizen, Khamis Ayyad, who died in a settler-related attack in the occupied West Bank town of Silwad near Ramallah, is urging the US government to launch an independent investigation into the incident. Ayyad, a former Chicago resident and father of five, reportedly died after inhaling tear gas and smoke from burning vehicles torched by Israeli settlers outside his home early Thursday morning.

William Asfour, operations coordinator at the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), stood with Ayyad’s grieving relatives on Friday and called the incident “murder.” He demanded accountability from the US Department of Justice, stating, “An American citizen was killed. Where’s the accountability?”

According to Ayyad’s cousin, Mahmoud Issa, Israeli settlers attacked the family's property at dawn and set fire to several cars. When Ayyad stepped outside to extinguish the flames, Israeli soldiers reportedly arrived and fired tear gas, which led to his death. The family believes that the combination of tear gas and smoke caused Ayyad’s fatal collapse.

This marks the second killing of an American citizen in the West Bank in July alone. Earlier, 20-year-old Sayfollah Musallet was beaten to death by settlers in Sinjil, a neighboring town. Despite widespread outrage, no arrests have been made in either case.

Illinois State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid condemned Ayyad’s death as part of an “ugly pattern of settler colonial violence,” criticizing US silence on abuses against its citizens abroad. He also called for repealing an Illinois law that penalizes companies boycotting Israel, stating, “This shameful law shields Israel’s violence and brutality from consequences.”

As violence continues in the West Bank and Gaza, rights groups have accused Israel of pursuing a systematic campaign of dispossession and violence. Armed settlers, backed by the Israeli military, have increasingly targeted Palestinian towns, torching homes and vehicles with impunity.

The Israeli Knesset recently passed a non-binding resolution supporting the annexation of the West Bank. Two Israeli ministers, Yariv Levin and Israel Katz, declared this period a “moment of opportunity” to assert full Israeli sovereignty over the occupied territory.

Despite mounting deaths, the US government has so far refrained from launching investigations into the killings of its own citizens. Since 2022, at least 10 US nationals have been killed by Israeli soldiers or settlers, but none of the cases have led to charges.

Meanwhile, a 16-year-old American citizen, Mohammed Ibrahim, remains imprisoned without trial in Israel. His family reports that his health is deteriorating rapidly.

“Settlers burn homes, soldiers back them up, and our government sends billions to fund all of this,” said Asfour. “How many more before the US takes action to protect its citizens abroad?” he added.