Palestinian Americans in the West Bank village of Turmus Ayya say they have faced escalating Israeli settler violence, according to a Guardian report. Around 80% of the village's residents hold US citizenship.
Key facts
- The village of Turmus Ayya in the West Bank has seen a reported surge in Israeli settler violence.
- About 80% of the village's residents are US citizens with ties to New York, Chicago and Paterson, New Jersey.
- US ambassador Mike Huckabee had visited the nearby Israeli settlement of Shilo.
- Residents describe scorched land and a boulder placed by settlers to claim territory.
- Many residents identify as American patriots and fly the US flag from their homes.
Palestinian Americans living in the West Bank village of Turmus Ayya have described a terrifying rise in attacks by Israeli settlers, according to a report by the Guardian. The reported escalation followed visits by US ambassador Mike Huckabee to the nearby Israeli settlement of Shilo.
The Guardian describes a strip of what it calls no man’s land within the village, marking the point where US flags flown by residents give way to Israeli flags. The paper reports the ground there is scorched by molotov cocktails, and that Israeli settlers placed a boulder to signal to Palestinian villagers that the land now belonged to them.
On one side of that boulder, the Guardian reports, are the white-stoned mansions where the Palestinian residents of Turmus Ayya live. About 80% of them are US citizens, members of the diaspora in New York, Chicago and Paterson, New Jersey.
According to the report, many residents return to the village for the summers, bringing their children to experience Palestinian culture and learn Arabic. Many describe themselves as proud American patriots and fly the stars and stripes from their balconies.
The report frames the situation around the residents’ sense of being abandoned by the United States despite their citizenship, as they contend with the reported increase in settler violence in their village.
Why it matters
The account raises questions about the safety of US citizens abroad and the response of American officials to violence affecting them. It highlights the human impact of tensions between Palestinian residents and Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Turmus Ayya?
Turmus Ayya is a village in the West Bank, located near the Israeli settlement of Shilo, according to the Guardian.
How many residents of the village are US citizens?
The Guardian reports that about 80% of the village's residents are US citizens, with ties to communities in New York, Chicago and Paterson, New Jersey.
What triggered the reported rise in violence?
The Guardian reports that residents witnessed a rise in settler attacks after visits by US ambassador Mike Huckabee to the nearby Israeli settlement of Shilo.