By Patricia Martínez Sastre
Al Mazraa al Sharqiya, West Bank (EFE).- In the West Bank village of Al Mazraa al Sharqiya, just northeast of Ramallah, the killing of two young Palestinians by Israeli settlers has spread shock and anger among residents and mourners.
Witnesses say 20-year-old Saif Kamil Musalat, a Palestinian with United States citizenship, was beaten to death, while his friend, Mohamed Shalabi, was shot in the chest after being assaulted.
“He was just a kid, about to turn 21 in a week and a half. He was starting his life,” said Juma, a close friend of Musalat, during the funeral held on Sunday.
Thousands of mourners gathered, chanting in honor of the martyrs, a term Palestinians use for those killed by Israeli forces or settlers.
A collective prayer was held at a local school before the bodies, wrapped in Palestinian flags, were carried to the village cemetery.
Settler violence escalates in West Bank
The attack occurred in the nearby village of Sinjil.
“They separated him, beat him, and kept beating him for three hours,” Juma recounted. “They are not human. They are evil,” he added, referring to the settlers.
According to Israeli police, two settlers were detained and placed under house arrest.
Musalat, who lived in Tampa, Florida, was visiting Palestine for a few weeks.
“He arrived Thursday, exhausted after six hours crossing the Israeli border from Jordan, Juma said. “We didn’t meet that night. The next morning I messaged him before Friday prayers, but he never replied. His father told me he was dead.”
He is the fifth US citizen killed in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza in Oct. 2023.
In April, 14-year-old dual national Amer Rabee was reportedly shot 11 times by Israeli soldiers in the nearby village of Turmusaya.
Mourners at Sunday’s burial included individuals speaking American English and Puerto Rican Spanish.
Many families from this and nearby villages emigrated to Puerto Rico decades ago, later settling in Florida, Texas, or California.
Families caught between two worlds
“We came looking for a calmer life, more freedom,” said F. Khalil, a Puerto Rican Palestinian who visits the village annually.
He rejects claims that settler attacks are isolated incidents. “This happens every day. Settlers injured Palestinians during the first week of July alone.”
In 2025 so far, at least 350 injuries have been recorded, an average of nearly two per day.
More than 60 Palestinian pastoral communities have been forcibly displaced due to settler violence since Oct. 2023, according to Israeli human rights group B’Tselem.
In parallel, 87 new settler outposts have been established, along with at least 40 new settlements, marking a record number, according to Peace Now, and solidifying what critics call a de facto annexation of occupied West Bank territory.
Anger, grief, and a plea for action
Juma says grief is turning into rage.
“No, I’m not scared. I’m angry and I’m sad,” he told EFE. “People need to understand these settlers are not human, and stop supporting them and sending them money.”
The deaths of Musalat and Shalabi mark another chapter in the ongoing cycle of violence in the West Bank, as settler attacks intensify and accountability remains elusive.
Residents say the horror has become routine, and justice, is out of reach. EFE
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