Garamendi Demands Answers on the Recent Death of Palestinian Activist in the West Bank

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA-08), a senior California Democrat and member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in response to recent reports of violence in the West Bank:

“I am demanding answers about the reported tragic death of Awdah Hathaleen. Awdah, an English teacher and Palestinian activist, was previously denied entry to the United States after being invited to an Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity event to speak about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. According to recent reports, Hathaleen was shot by an Israeli settler in the West Bank village of Umm Al-Khair and later died of his wounds.

“Violence by Israeli settlers against peaceful Palestinians has been all too common and we must demand accountability. Unfortunately, this administration has shown little interest in pushing for peace. On day one of his second term, President Trump repealed sanctions on 30 Israeli settlers and settler organizations accused of engaging in violence in the West Bank. One of those settlers allegedly shot Hathaleen. Lifting sanctions on the very individuals who perpetrate these unacceptable acts only emboldens violent settlers and sends a signal that the United States won’t hold violent actors accountable.

“The West Bank has witnessed intolerable levels of settler violence for decades, and the war in Gaza has only further exacerbated this situation. Settler violence in the West Bank wreaks terror and forces the displacement of Palestinian communities, further destabilizing the Middle East region and putting the prospects for peace and security even further out of reach. This is unacceptable. Israel must rein in settler violence and ensure that Palestinians in the West Bank are able to live in peace, free from the threat of violence.”

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