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<\/a><\/p>\nMike Huckabee, then President Donald Trump’s nominee to be ambassador to Israel, testifies during his confirmation hearing in March 2025. (Kevin Dietsch\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Mussallet\u2019s family and Palestinian officials say Jewish settlers beat Mussallet severely and then prevented paramedics from reaching him for hours.<\/p>\n
Huckabee\u2019s call, issued on X, marked the first denunciation of Mussallet\u2019s murder by a U.S. official. White House officials previously referred questions about the incident to Israel.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have asked @Israel to aggressively investigate the murder of Saif Mussallet, an American citizen who was visiting family in Sinjil when he was beaten to death,\u201d Huckabee wrote. \u201cThere must be accountability for this criminal and terrorist act. Saif was just 20 yrs old.\u201d<\/p>\n
Huckabee\u2019s call is especially notable because he is a vocal advocate of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which he has said he would support Israel annexing. Mussallet was visiting the region from his home in Florida and came in contact with settlers while seeking to protect his family\u2019s land, the family said.<\/p>\n
Huckabee did not mention settlers or settler violence against Palestinians, which watchdogs say has risen sharply in recent months, accelerating a years-long trend. The United States sanctioned several settlers and settler groups last year in an attempt to quell the violence; President Donald Trump lifted those sanctions within 24 hours of taking office in January.<\/p>\n
Mussallet\u2019s family is pressing for a U.S. investigation into his death, which is seen as unlikely because it would signal a lack of confidence in Israeli authorities. Israel has not charged anyone in connection with Mussallet\u2019s death.<\/p>\n