Senator Van Hollen demands accountability for nine Americans killed in West Bank

US Senator Chris Van Hollen has called for accountability regarding the deaths of nine American citizens killed by Israeli settlers or security forces in the occupied West Bank since 2022. During a speech on the Senate floor, Van Hollen named the victims and detailed the circumstances surrounding their deaths, noting that no one has been held responsible for these incidents.

Among the victims mentioned were 78-year-old Omar Assad, who died of a stress-induced heart attack after being detained and mistreated by soldiers at a checkpoint, and Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot in the head while wearing a journalist's vest. The senator also highlighted the death of 26-year-old Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who was shot in the head by a soldier in September 2024, and 14-year-old Amer Rabee, who was reportedly shot 11 times.

Van Hollen pointed to previous comments by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who had described one of the killings as ‘a criminal and terrorist act’ and called for accountability. The senator questioned why such accountability has not materialized despite these acknowledgments.