A coalition of 19 Democratic lawmakers has written to key figures in Donald Trump’s administration, criticizing it for enabling violent Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. The letter, which was made public by the Guardian, includes signatories like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. It claims that administration policies have created an environment where settlers act with little fear of consequences. The lawmakers are calling for the return of sanctions against extremist groups and demand independent investigations into the deaths of nine Americans in the West Bank since 2022.
The impact of Trump’s early decision
The letter highlights Trump’s action on his first day in office to remove sanctions from over 30 individuals and organizations linked to extremist violence in the West Bank. Democratic lawmakers argue this move signaled to settlers that violence could go unchecked. The letter states, 'Settlers can use deadly force to take land while harming Palestinians and Americans, and face no consequences.' This decision, they claim, has contributed to a sharp rise in attacks. By 2025, there had been 1,835 reported attacks on Palestinian communities and property, a record high.
Turmus Ayya, a West Bank town with a significant number of U.S. residents, has been repeatedly targeted. One home belonging to a U.S. family from Massachusetts and Washington was burned to the ground. Lawmakers warn that the situation for Americans in the region has become increasingly dangerous. Since Trump resumed his role, four U.S. citizens have been killed by settlers or Israeli security forces, bringing the total number of U.S. casualties in the West Bank since 2022 to nine.
Calls for justice for the victims
The letter lists several victims, including Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian American journalist, and young Americans such as Amer Mohammed Rabea, Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, Mohammad Ahmed Mohammad Khdour, and Sayfollah Musallet. Other victims include 78-year-old Omar Assad, a Palestinian American, and Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a Turkish American activist. The lawmakers point out that the U.S. Justice Department has the authority to investigate the deaths of Americans abroad, but no investigations have been launched since 2025. The letter notes that Israel has also failed to bring anyone to trial for these incidents.
The letter criticizes the detention of U.S. citizens by Israeli forces. Sama Safi, a 20-year-old, allegedly had her access to life-saving medication disrupted after her arrest. Mohammed Ibrahim was detained for nine months when he was just 15 years old. The lawmakers urge the Trump administration to secure Safi’s release and advocate against what they describe as unjust and arbitrary detentions in the occupied territory.
Rising threats to religious groups and freedoms
Taybeh, the last town in the West Bank that is entirely Christian, has suffered repeated attacks. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, described one such attack as an act of terrorism and promised to find those responsible. Despite this, no arrests have been made, the lawmakers note. Huckabee, an evangelical Christian who supports Jewish claims to the region known as Judea and Samaria by settlers, is not directly blamed, but the letter suggests his influence may reduce accountability.
The lawmakers, including 10 senators and 8 representatives, argue that the Trump administration's favoritism toward the Netanyahu government has led to unchecked violence. They demand an update by 17 August on whether the U.S. will investigate the deaths of Americans in the West Bank, restore sanctions against violent settlers, and address the treatment of detained U.S. citizens in the region.