Reps. Mfume, Vindman Urge Netanyahu to Contain Violence and Protect Palestinians in the West Bank

Image September 24, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD) , Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, and Congressman Eugene Vindman (D-VA) led a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to take immediate steps to contain settler violence and protect Palestinian communities in the West Bank. "We write with urgent concern regarding the growing outbreak of extremist settler violence in the West Bank, including violence that has killed and threatened American citizens," wrote the lawmakers. "We do so out of concern for Israel's long-term security as well as for the safety of Palestinians. Continued settlement expansion and violence in the West Bank will harm that security and the prospects for lasting peace, prosperity, and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike." "Amidst this violence, we are especially concerned for the safety of American citizens in the West Bank," the lawmakers continued. "Nine American citizens have been killed in the West Bank since January 2022. To date, no one has been held accountable for any of these nine deaths. Many of us have heard directly from constituents, including American citizens who have themselves been threatened or harassed by settlers without cause." "Restoring the rule of law in the West Bank serves the security of Israelis and Palestinians alike," the lawmakers concluded. "The safety of our constituents matters to us as the safety of your citizens matters to you. We also hope to see conditions improve so that Israelis and Palestinians may one day live alongside one another without fear of terrorism or lawless violence." In the letter, the representatives request that the Israeli government take the following actions to uphold the rule of law and end the violence in the West Bank: Instruct the Israeli Police and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to defend Palestinian communities in the West Bank when they come under attack, and to apply that standard consistently, whoever the attackers are; Establish a transparent and credible mechanism to investigate and prosecute violence against Palestinians, including Palestinian Americans, and complete the pending investigations into the deaths of the nine American citizens killed in the West Bank since January 2022. Halt further settlement approvals and continue to take steps to remove illegal outposts in the West Bank. The letter was also signed by Reps. Ansari,  Balint,  Barragán,  Beyer,  Bonamici,  Boyle,  Carbajal,  Carson,  Carter,  Casten,  Chu,  Clarke,  Cleaver,  Cohen,  Courtney,  Crockett,  Davis,  Dean,  DeLauro,  Deluzio,  DeSaulnier,  Doggett,  Elfreth,  Escobar,  Foster,  Garamendi,  Green,  Grijalva,  Hoyer,  Hoyle,  Huffman,  Jackson,  Jacobs,  Johnson (GA),  Kamlager-Dove,  Kaptur,  Kennedy,  Khanna,  Lofgren,  Lynch,  Mannion,  McBride,  Moore,  Morrison,  Nadler,  Norton,  Olszewski,  Pallone,  Panetta,  Pelosi,  Peters,  Pettersen,  Pingree,  Pocan,  Quigley,  Randall,  Raskin,  Ross,  Salinas,  Scanlon,  Schakowsky,  Stansbury,  Stanton,  Subramanyam,  Thompson (MS),  Tokuda,  Tran,  Vindman,  Walkinshaw,  Waters,  and Watson Coleman. Supporting organizations include: J Street, New Jewish Narrative, and Jewish Democratic Council of America. Text of the letter can be viewed here . ###