The family of a 17-year-old Palestinian American teenager, identified as Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, is mourning his tragic death after he was fatally shot in the occupied West Bank. The incident occurred as Tawfic and his cousin were en route to a picnic near their village, Al-Mazra’a ash Sharqiyeh, near Ramallah.
The teenager, born to Palestinian parents and raised in a suburb of New Orleans, had returned to live in the West Bank with his family about a year and a half ago. Tensions between Israel and the United States have been rising, and the State Department confirmed the death of an American in the West Bank on Friday without initially releasing identification.
Israeli police, in a statement, acknowledged investigating the shooting, mentioning that an Israeli civilian and an off-duty policeman had fired at individuals allegedly engaged in rock-throwing activities. The Israeli army is also probing whether a soldier was involved in the incident.
Tawfic's cousin, Mohammad Ejak, 16, refuted claims of rock-throwing, stating they had not engaged in such activities. He explained that the gunfire erupted while they were still in their car, heading to an olive grove owned by the family.
Tawfic's father, Hafeth Abdel Jabbar, demanded justice during the funeral, emphasizing that his son, as an American citizen, should be protected. The family, which includes four other children, decided to return to the West Bank to live.
Described as a quiet and respectful teenager, Tawfic aspired to improve his Arabic in the West Bank. Nabil Abukhader, the principal of the Muslim Academy in Gretna, Louisiana, where Tawfic attended school, recalled him as a polite and helpful young man planning to study business administration at the University of New Orleans.
The West Bank has experienced heightened tension and violence since the October 7 Hamas assault on Israel. The situation remains under scrutiny, with U.S. officials expressing condolences and actively seeking more information to understand the tragic incident's circumstances.