CAIR-Chicago urges action after reported settler attack on Chicagoan in West Bank

The Council on American-Islamic Relations and its Chicago chapter called on U.S. and Illinois officials to act after a reported Israeli settler assault on an American citizen from Chicago in the West Bank, according to an October 19 statement from the organisation.

CAIR cited journalist Jasper Nathaniel as reporting that more than a dozen masked settlers attacked Turmus’ayya, burned an American home and severely beat Chicagoan Mohammed Sakat. The account of the assault and the identification of the citizen were relayed by CAIR from Nathaniel’s report.

The organisations urged Illinois lawmakers to condemn the reported attack and members of Congress to demand U.S. sanctions against illegal Israeli settlers and the Israeli military. They also called on Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs to divest public funds from Israel Bonds and halt new purchases and renewals.

CAIR and CAIR-Chicago also asked the U.S. government to launch an independent investigation into attacks on Sakat, Heidi Levine and other Americans targeted by settlers and troops.