Mustafa Zaatar, a Palestinian American, looks at his burned cars following an attack by Israeli settlers in the Palestinian village of Abu Falah, West Bank, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Mahmoud Illean - AP)
'Israeli' settlers attack Palestinian American’s home, torch 3 vehicles
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- Dozens of armed 'Israeli' settlers raided Abu Falah overnight, surrounding the house of Palestinian-American Mustafa Zaatar and burning three vehicles.
- Zaatar noted that holding US passport status provided no safety during the attack.
Dozens of armed 'Israeli' settlers launched an overnight raid on the West Bank village of Abu Falah, east of Ramallah, surrounding the home of a Palestinian American resident and setting three vehicles on fire, according to statements provided to Anadolu on Sunday.
Mustafa Zaatar, a dual Palestinian-American citizen, stated that settlers entered the village at approximately 1:30 AM, surrounding his home and vandalizing the premises before torching the vehicles parked outside.
Zaatar watched the attack unfold via surveillance cameras mounted around his property.
"Within about 10 minutes, we saw the cars go up in flames," Zaatar stated, adding that local residents subsequently confronted the settlers to extinguish the fires despite fearing for their safety.
Zaatar noted that two Palestinians were killed during a previous attack by 'Israeli' settlers in the same area last year, framing the ongoing raids as an attempt to displace local families.
"They are trying to force us off our land," Zaatar said. "We will stay here. We will not leave."
Addressing his dual nationality, Zaatar emphasized that his American citizenship provided no security during the raid.
"I am an American citizen, but I have not felt that it protected me or offered me anything," Zaatar said.
Following the attack, family members in the United States contacted the American consulate, which subsequently reached out to Zaatar.
He requested that consular officials conduct a site visit to assess the physical damage and the ongoing safety threats.
Rising settler violence
The incident reflects broader escalation across the occupied West Bank, where 'Israeli' military operations and settler attacks have intensified since the Gaza war began in October 2023.
In August, US Ambassador to 'Israel' Mike Huckabee publicly characterized settler violence against Palestinians across the West Bank as "terrorism," warning that such acts harm 'Israel's' international image.
According to official Palestinian statistics, at least 1,206 Palestinians—including 254 children—have been killed in the West Bank since October 2023, with approximately 13,350 wounded and more than 24,600 arrested during the same timeframe.
