Mohammed Rabee says his 14-year-old son believed his US citizenship would keep him “protected” and “free”
The grieving father of Palestinian-American teenager Amer Rabee, who was shot dead by Israeli troops in the West Bank 16 months ago, has accused Washington of abandoning his family after offering little more than condolences.
Speaking to RT correspondent Charlotte Dubenskij, Mohammed Rabee said his 14-year-old son had grown up believing that his American citizenship offered him protection.
“He was always thinking he’s American, so he’s protected. He’s free,” he said.
Amer was born in New Jersey before his family moved to Turmus Ayya, near Ramallah, in 2013. He continued to split his time between the US and the West Bank.
He was killed on April 6, 2025, in an olive grove outside the village. Two friends were also wounded.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the teenagers had been throwing rocks at a highway and described them as “terrorists.” Amer’s family and the surviving boys deny the claim, saying they had been picking almonds and tossing them at each other for fun.
Mohammed told RT that his son had been repeatedly shot. “Many shots. He got 14 shots,” he said, later showing Dubenskij the clothes Amer was wearing when he died.
The US State Department confirmed the death of an American citizen and offered condolences, while Democratic Senators Andy Kim and Cory Booker called for a US-led investigation.
But Mohammed says little has happened since. He dismissed US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee’s recent pledge to “stand for American citizens, whether Israeli or Palestinian” as political theater.
“Till now, no one [is] talking about Amer,” he said. “He’s making a show… to show people that he’s helping American people, but we didn’t see that before.”
Amer’s father has since built a small park in his son’s memory and continues to press for accountability.
