US seeks probe into West Bank death of Palestinian-American teenager
PHOTO CAPTION: Israeli troops stand guard at the scene of a shooting, in Huwara, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, March 19, 2023. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Monday called for an investigation and for accountability "as appropriate" following the West Bank death of a 17-year-old Palestinian American, who Palestinian health officials say was killed by Israeli security forces.
Speaking at a regular briefing, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the United States had called for an urgent investigation in to the death of Tawfic Abdel Jabbar on Friday.
Palestinian health officials said the American-born youth was killed by Israeli security forces in the occupied West Bank. His uncle told Reuters he died during clashes with the Israeli military that included stone throwing by Palestinians.
"We are devastated about the killing of 17-year-old U.S. citizen Tawfic Abdel Jabbar in the West Bank," Patel told reporters, saying the United States was working with Israel to get information about his death.
"We have called for an urgent investigation to determine the circumstances of his death and accountability ... as appropriate," he added.
Among territories where Palestinians seek statehood, the West Bank has seen a surge of violence in parallel to the Gaza war that erupted on Oct. 7 with a shock cross-border killing and kidnapping spree by Islamist Hamas militants in southern Israel.
(Reporting By Simon Lewis, Ismail Shakil and Arshad Mohammed; writing by Arshad Mohammed; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
