💔 Lynched in the West Bank: Saif Musallet, an American, Beaten to Death by Israeli Settlers

New details of this lynching are painfully familiar to anyone that has studied the lynching of African Americans in the United States.

Before we begin, a reminder—major outlets like The NY Times and CNN have put paywalls on Gaza and West Bank coverage, but I am committed to keeping this reporting free for all. Our journalism relies on readers like you. The NY Times has 12 million subscribers; we have 2,300. Please consider subscribing and supporting our work here: Subscribe to The North Star.

---

The Day That Turned Deadly

If you can read anything today, I’d love for you to read, listen, and watch this from Al Jazeera. It’s about Saif. I wrote about his lynching in the West Bank before here, but Al Jazeera has many new details.

On July 11, 2025, Saifollah “Saif” Musallet, 20, and his friend Muhammad “Rizik” al-Shalabi, 23, went for what should have been an ordinary afternoon in their family’s olive groves in al-Baten, near Mazraa in the occupied West Bank. The sun was high, the heat intense, and the friends were laughing, joking, and still dressed in their prayer clothes after Dhuhr, which for us as Muslims is our second prayer of the day that takes place in the early afternoon.

They had no idea this day would end in horror.

According to Al Jazeera, “At about 2:15pm they were approached by about a dozen settlers, many armed with clubs or sticks, and some with guns. The settlers began to throw rocks at the boys, as videos from that day showed.”

The assault escalated quickly as more settlers were called in. By the end, some 70 settlers were attacking Palestinians in al-Baten, leaving 50 injured and two dead.

This was not an isolated incident. Al Jazeera’s report notes, “There were 1,449 settler attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in 2024,” highlighting a relentless pattern of violence.

---

A Son of “Little America”

Saif was born in Tampa, Florida, in 2004, to a family of Palestinian American citizens. He spent his early childhood in Florida before moving to Mazraa in 2012, settling into a neighborhood known as “Little America”, lined with large homes owned by Palestinian Americans. Growing up, he was known for his humor, his charm, and his dedication to family and friends.

After high school, Saif returned to Tampa to run the family’s ice cream shop, Ice Screamin’, before returning to the West Bank for a two-month visit this summer. This was meant to be a time of rest, connection, and perhaps the beginning of new relationships. He wanted to get married. He wanted to run the ice cream shop. Instead, it ended in tragedy.

---

Trapped Between Violence and Inaction

As the settlers advanced, the young men scattered. Some ran south, some veered north, but the settlers pursued them relentlessly. Vehicles rammed the boys, rocks flew, bullets whizzed. Those trying to help were met with tear gas from Israeli military drones, while ambulances attempting to reach the victims were blocked or attacked. For anyone that has studied American lynching of African Americans, it’s all painfully familiar.

Al Jazeera details: “Palestinian ambulances were trying to reach al-Baten as early as 2:45pm, as news of what was happening got out, but they found their access blocked by both Israeli settlers and soldiers.” Even when military permission was granted, ambulances were delayed or turned back, leaving the victims trapped.

Saif hid under an oak tree, battered and vomiting, struggling to breathe, while his family desperately tried to reach him. Hours later, an ambulance arrived—but by then, Saif had died. Rizik was found hours after the attack, shot, beaten, and left to die.

---

The Aftermath: Calls for Justice Go Unheeded

Saif’s father, Kamel Musallet, spoke to Al Jazeera and said, “I know I'm not going to get justice. But if we can stop the Israeli settler extremism, and the vandalism and violence … I just want to save [al-Baten].”

Despite arrests of six settlers in the incident, there has been no substantive follow-up. Witnesses and town officials express skepticism, calling Israel’s handling of the investigation a “series of dirty tricks,” with Palestinian activists also detained in the aftermath. Experts say no Israeli will be held accountable. They never are.

---

Patterns of Displacement and Violence

The July 11 lynching was the tragic culmination of escalating settler violence. Al Jazeera reports that “since April, Israeli settlers have been prowling the land, attacking Palestinian villagers with sticks or weapons and setting Palestinian groves on fire”, while thousands of Palestinians have been displaced by military raids, home demolitions, and settler violence.

Al Baten itself stands blackened and untended, a stark reminder of the enduring impact of unchecked aggression.

---

Accountability Beyond Borders

The United States bears a unique responsibility. Saif was a U.S. citizen, killed in a targeted act of violence abroad. The U.S. Ambassador to Israel reached out to Kamel, promising to request an investigation. But Kamel’s frustration mirrors that of countless Palestinians: trust in the Israeli justice system is near zero.

Again, it’s all so familiar for African Americans as we desperately need a system to dole out justice when it was truly never built to hold CERTAIN PEOPLE accountable.

This is not just a West Bank story—it is an urgent call for the international community and U.S. authorities to act decisively against settler violence and systemic impunity.

Saif and Rizik’s lives were stolen on July 11, victims of what Al Jazeera accurately describes as a lynching by a mob of settlers. Their story exposes the layers of violence, neglect, and complicity that Palestinians face daily. Reporting and action must continue until justice is real, not symbolic.

---

Love and appreciate each of you.

Your friend and brother,

Shaun

FYI: Please read, learn, comment, share, and subscribe to ensure we keep this vital coverage free. Your support is how we fight impunity and shine light on stories that others try to ignore.

---

Here are some recent posts I’d really like for you to read and share…