Power Plays
06/25 /2025
When American citizens are killed overseas, it usually makes headlines. But when they’re killed by Israel — whether crushed by a bulldozer, shot in the head while reporting, or gunned down in the West Bank — suddenly the press loses its voice, the government loses its backbone, and the facts get buried under excuses, sanitized reports, and diplomatic shrugs.
This isn’t conjecture. It’s a pattern. A deadly one.
Since the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza began in 1967, at least seven American citizens — including activists, journalists, teenagers, and elders — have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers. Some were shot. Some were beaten. One was run over by a military bulldozer. And in every case, the reaction from the United States was the same: concern, then silence.
The Names They Don’t Want You to Know
2003 – Rachel Corrie
Age: 23 | Citizenship: American
Killed in: Rafah, Gaza Strip
Cause of death: Crushed by an Israeli bulldozer while protesting the demolition of Palestinian homes.
Who killed her: Israeli Defense Forces (IDF)
Corrie was standing in front of a home wearing a fluorescent vest. Eyewitnesses said the driver saw her. Israel claimed he didn’t. A court later ruled it an “accident,” and the U.S. State Department called the investigation “neither thorough nor credible.” No one was held accountable. And the American media? Mostly silent after the first wave of coverage faded.
2010 – Furkan Doğan
Age: 19 | Citizenship: Turkish-American
Killed in: Gaza-bound aid flotilla (international waters)
Cause of death: Shot five times, including four bullets to the head at close range.
Who killed him: Israeli naval commandos during the Mavi Marmara raid
He was trying to deliver humanitarian aid. The IDF stormed the ship, killing nine activists — including Doğan. The U.S. offered weak protests but no consequences. Imagine if any other country had executed an American teenager in international waters.
2022 – Shireen Abu Akleh
Age: 51 | Citizenship: Palestinian-American
Killed in: Jenin, West Bank
Cause of death: Shot in the head while reporting for Al Jazeera.
Who killed her: Israeli military sniper
She was clearly marked as press. Multiple investigations found it was likely an Israeli soldier. Israel claimed it was a “tragic accident.” The U.S. government made noise about accountability. That was it. No justice. No sanctions. No investigation with teeth. And the Western press barely followed up.
2022 – Omar Abdulmajeed Assad
Age: 78 | Citizenship: Palestinian-American
Killed in: Jiljilya, West Bank
Cause of death: Heart attack after being gagged, zip-tied, and left outside overnight by Israeli troops.
Who killed him: Netzah Yehuda Battalion (IDF)
Assad was visiting family. He was dragged from his car, zip-tied, and dumped at a construction site in the cold. Hours later, he was dead. The IDF “reprimanded” two soldiers. That’s it. The U.S. briefly considered sanctions on the unit — and then backed off after Israeli pushback.
2024 – Tawfiq (Tawfic) Ajaq
Age: 17 | Citizenship: Palestinian-American
Killed in: al-Mazra’a ash-Sharqiya, West Bank
Cause of death: Shot by an off-duty Israeli police officer and a settler while grilling in a field.
Who killed him: Off-duty Israeli cop and settler
His cousin survived the attack and said they were barbecuing, not posing any threat. The Israeli version? That they were “suspicious.” The U.S. embassy said it was “seriously concerned.” No arrests. No trial. No justice.
2024 – Aysenur Ezgi Eygi
Age: 26 | Citizenship: Turkish-American
Killed in: Beita, West Bank
Cause of death: Shot in the head by an Israeli sniper during a protest.
Who killed her: Israeli Defense Forces (IDF)
Eygi was protesting illegal settlements. She wasn’t armed. She wasn’t violent. Video footage shows her walking away before the shot. Israel called it “accidental.” Biden said it was “unacceptable.” And yet again, nobody was held accountable.
2025 – Omar Mohammad Rabea
Age: 14 | Citizenship: Palestinian-American
Killed in: Turmus Ayya, West Bank
Cause of death: Shot by a settler, then by Israeli forces.
Who killed him: Settler and IDF
He was accused of throwing rocks. He was unarmed. Shot multiple times. The IDF called it “neutralizing a threat.” The U.S. is “waiting for more information.” In other words: nothing will happen.
A Pattern of Silence
Every time an American is killed by Israeli forces or settlers, the script stays the same:
Israel claims it was an accident or the victim was a threat.
The U.S. expresses “concern” or “regret.”
No one is held accountable.
The press moves on. Fast.
And that’s no coincidence.
Western media outlets are quick to spotlight American victims — unless they’re Palestinian or critical of Israeli policy. That’s when headlines get softer, coverage gets quieter, and names like Corrie, Doğan, or Abu Akleh disappear from the national memory.
When Abu Akleh was killed, it should’ve been front-page news for weeks. Instead? Most outlets parroted Israeli talking points. CNN ran pieces questioning the clarity of the video evidence — even after multiple independent investigations confirmed she was killed by the IDF.
And it’s not just erasure — it’s gaslighting. These deaths are reframed as tragic but inevitable, or tied to vague “clashes,” as if they weren’t the result of deliberate policy. The word “terrorist” gets thrown around faster than facts. And Palestinian-Americans are treated like political liabilities, not citizens worthy of protection.
What If the Killers Weren’t Israeli?
Flip the scenario.
If these seven Americans had been killed by Palestinians or Iranians, you know what would’ve happened: 24/7 media coverage, calls for sanctions, and congressional hearings. But because it’s Israel — a country backed by nearly $4 billion in U.S. military aid annually — we get hand-wringing and carefully worded “regrets.”
Ask yourself: why is it that some American lives are worth justice — and others are worth burying beneath bureaucracy?
Final Truth
This isn’t just about Palestine. It’s about power, complicity, and what it means to be an American when your existence challenges the wrong empire.
These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a decades-long pattern of dehumanization, whitewashing, and political protection. These Americans died because they stood in the way — or simply existed in the wrong place with the wrong identity.
Their stories deserve more than silence. They deserve justice.