When a U.S. citizen is killed overseas, it is both right and necessary for our government to investigate. American lives deserve protection and accountability, no matter where they are lost. But that principle must apply evenly, not selectively. That’s where Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and his 28 Democratic colleagues go wrong in their July 24 letter demanding a U.S.-led investigation into the death of Saifullah Musallet, a Palestinian American who died during a violent clash in the West Bank earlier this month.
Their call for justice isn’t the issue. It’s the glaring selectivity of their concern.
American citizens have been killed, kidnapped or harmed in countries around the world — Mexico, Syria, Iran, China, Lebanon and beyond. Where were the Senate letters then? Where was the demand for U.S.-run investigations and accountability?
Instead, Van Hollen’s outrage is focused, yet again, on one country: Israel.
This isn’t a new stance. Van Hollen has made a habit of singling out the Jewish state while ignoring far worse abuses by others. This latest letter fits a clear pattern — using incidents involving American citizens not to promote justice but to pressure and vilify Israel.
We want to be clear: If Musallet, a 20-year-old American, was beaten to death and denied medical help, it is a tragedy that demands answers. Israel has already said it is investigating and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee has called for a full probe. That process should play out. If justice is not delivered, pressure will be warranted.
But Van Hollen and his colleagues have chosen a different path — assuming guilt, dismissing the Israeli investigation and demanding direct U.S. intervention. They claim Israel has failed to hold anyone accountable for the deaths of seven Americans in the West Bank since 2022 without offering any context about those incidents, some of which involved armed combatants, dual nationals or active conflict zones.
More telling is what the self-righteous senators don’t say. No similar outrage was expressed for Americans killed by Iranian-backed militias, by Hamas, by Hezbollah or by authoritarian regimes across the globe. When Americans were executed by ISIS or detained by Russia, where were the urgent Senate letters demanding immediate U.S. investigations? When American journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested by Moscow, how many of these senators called for U.S. Justice Department action?
This is not about protecting Americans. It’s about targeting Israel.
Scrutinizing Israeli conduct is fair — as it is with any country. But the relentless, one-sided focus on Israel, while ignoring abuses elsewhere, betrays a troubling bias. It feeds antisemitic narratives and undermines the credibility of those who claim to champion human rights.
Americans deserve better from their elected representatives. If Congress truly wants to protect American lives abroad, let it apply the same standard to every nation, every time. Until then, the Senate should reject this politicized showboating and stand for consistency, fairness and real accountability for all Americans, not just those caught in Van Hollen’s
narrow lens.
What’s happening to “my Democratic” party is a shame, as it is surprising in its shallowness. Van Hollen in leading the way, and sad to say he is one of my Senators. Et tu Any Klobuchar?? I thought you had more sense and objectivity.
“is leading the way”