Palestinian-Americans slam Washington's inaction over Ramallah settler attacks

Article by Viory

Residents Raise Concerns

Palestinian-Americans have criticised what they described as Washington’s inaction in protecting them from repeated attacks by settlers in Ramallah in the West Bank.

Footage filmed on Friday shows houses and farms in the town of Turmus Ayya, north of the city of Ramallah, where some US citizens have allegedly been victims of settler abuse.

Abla al-Kook, a retired school principal and US citizen, said that she and her family had been subjected to multiple attacks.

“We were prevented from accessing our lands, and olive trees were uprooted, confiscated, and burned. We were also attacked during the olive harvest season or while trying to reach our lands, whether by beatings, tear gas canisters, or live ammunition, by settler groups, as well as by the occupation army,” she said.

Calls For Protection

“We appeal to the American embassy to intervene to protect us and protect its nationals in the West Bank, especially in the Ramallah area and east of Ramallah, who are being subjected to attacks,” added Yasser Alqam, spokesperson for Turmus Ayya municipality.

Residents stated that they continue to contact the US Embassy and the State Department after every attack, but they are often directed to contact local authorities or military liaisons in the region.

According to reports, 85 percent of the population of Turmus Ayya hold US citizenship, having emigrated after 1948, with many returning to the villages of their parents and grandparents every summer to join their families and maintain their connection to their homeland.

Violence Continues

According to the Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission, settlers carried out 1,659 attacks during the past month of May, while the total number of attacks during 2025 reached approximately 4,723, targeting citizens and their property across various areas of the West Bank.

Over the past months, the wave of violence and attacks carried out by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank has escalated. Both Israeli President Isaac Herzog and IDF Chief of General Staff Eyal Zamir have condemned these attacks, considering them to ‘represent a crossing of red lines.’

Article by Viory