The US has asked Israel to investigate the death of a Palestinian-American who reportedly succumbed to complications from smoke inhalation after trying to put out a fire set by Israeli settlers in the West Bank village of Silwad, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Tuesday.
“We’ve called upon Israel to investigate each of these instances… We wait to see what those investigations will be, and that’s the case here,” Bruce said in response to a question from The Times of Israel on the matter during a State Department briefing.
Khamis Ayyad, 41, was the second American citizen killed in West Bank settler violence in July, after 20-year-old Saif Musallet was beaten to death while visiting family in the town of Sinjil.
Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, demanded Israel investigate that killing, calling it a “criminal and terrorist act,” but has yet to comment on the death of Ayyad.
Israeli authorities have requested that the Palestinian Authority provide the results of Ayyad’s autopsy, according to a military official. Police have launched an investigation into the arson and vandalism in Silwad, though no arrests have been reported.
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Bruce was also asked Tuesday what the Trump administration’s position was on the status of the West Bank after US House Speaker Mike Johnson declared on Monday that “the mountains of Judea and Samaria” belong to the Jewish people, as he became the most senior American official to ever visit a settlement in the territory.
“I’m not going to speak about the opinion of the government. And if there’s a policy regarding the status in any region of the world — certainly in the Middle East — I would wait to hear from Secretary Rubio and President Trump,” the State Department spokesperson responded.
Times of Israel staff and agencies contributed to this report.
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