Father of US-Palestinian Teen Killed by IDF Accuses Washington of Abandonment

Mohammed Rabee, the father of 14-year-old Palestinian-American teen Amer Rabee, has accused the U.S. government of abandoning his family following his son’s death at the hands of Israeli troops in the West Bank 16 months ago, according to an interview with RT. Amer, who was born in New Jersey before his family relocated to Turmus Ayya near Ramallah in 2013, was killed on April 6, 2025, in an olive grove outside the village, along with two friends who were wounded. His father described his son as believing his American citizenship would “protect” him and grant him “freedom,” a conviction that proved tragically misplaced.

Rabee told RT correspondent Charlotte Dubenskij that his son was “always thinking he’s American, so he’s protected. He’s free.” The family had maintained a transnational lifestyle, splitting time between the U.S. and the West Bank. On the day of the shooting, Amer was reportedly in the West Bank with friends when Israeli forces opened fire. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated the teenagers were throwing rocks at a highway and labeled them “terrorists,” according to a statement cited by the source. However, Rabee and the surviving boys denied the accusation, claiming they were “picking almonds and tossing them at each other for fun.”

Rabee described the violence as brutal, telling RT that his son was shot “many times” and sustained 14 wounds. He later showed Dubenskij the clothing Amer was wearing at the time of his death. The U.S. State Department confirmed the killing of an American citizen and issued condolences, while Democratic Senators Andy Kim and Cory Booker called for a U.S.-led investigation into the incident. Yet Rabee expressed frustration, stating that no meaningful action had been taken since. “Till now, no one [is] talking about Amer,” he said, dismissing U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee’s recent pledge to “stand for American citizens, whether Israeli or Palestinian” as “political theater.”

The IDF’s account of the incident has drawn skepticism from the victim’s family. A statement from the military described the teenagers as throwing rocks at a highway, but Rabee insisted his son’s actions were innocent. The family’s narrative highlights the differing accounts of the shooting.

Rabee has since built a small park in his son’s memory and continues to press for accountability, stating that “we didn’t see that before” the U.S. ambassador’s remarks.

Rabee’s interview with RT highlights the personal toll of such incidents. “He’s making a show… to show people that he’s helping American people, but we didn’t see that before,” Rabee said of Huckabee’s comments.

As of now, Mohammed Rabee says little has happened since and no one is talking about Amer.

For now, Rabee’s focus remains on honoring his son’s memory by building a small park in his son’s memory and continuing to press for accountability.