US citizen kidnapped in West Bank: Son calls for Biden’s intervention
New Orleans resident pleads for Biden’s intervention after Israeli Defense Forces allegedly kidnap his U.S. citizen mother in the West Bank
A resident from New Orleans called Ibrahim Hamed has reported the kidnapping of his mother, Samaher Esmail, by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from their family home in the occupied West Bank Palestinian territory.
Esmail, a U.S. citizen, was reportedly taken from Silwad, a town in the West Bank. This incident has prompted Hamed to urge President Joe Biden to act, referencing Biden’s statement that the U.S. would respond if an American was harmed.
“We’re paying our tax money to do what – to fund the people who are oppressing us?” Hamed said, as reported by the Guardian. “So when is this oppression going to stop?”
The IDF has not responded to requests for comment on this matter. However, the U.S. State Department acknowledged awareness of an American citizen’s detention in the West Bank, committing to provide consular assistance without further elaboration.
Neighbors reported to Hamed that Esmail, 46, was forcefully taken by IDF troops, detailing a disturbing scene of her being beaten, handcuffed and blindfolded. Hamed received videos and pictures of the incident, expressing disbelief and concern over the excessive force used against his mother.
“She’s not even heavy. I’m like, ‘What is going on here?’” Hamed said, recalling his reaction to the videos and his mother’s neighbors’ statements. “I just never would have thought that they would have done this to, first, a woman and, second, a U.S. citizen.”
Esmail, a New York-born U.S. citizen of Palestinian descent, owns a convenience store in New Orleans and is the mother of four children. Her family had plans to reunite in April, which are now uncertain due to her detention.
The motive behind Esmail’s detention remains unclear. Hamed speculated it might be connected to her involvement in a legal case following an altercation with IDF at a checkpoint in 2022 or her social media posts critical of Israel’s West Bank occupation.
The local community, including Masjid Omar and the Center for American-Islamic Relations, has rallied, demanding Esmail’s immediate release and highlighting her medical needs. Hamed has reached out to U.S. authorities, including the embassy in Jerusalem and Congressman Troy Carter, but has yet to receive significant government response regarding his mother’s situation.
Source: Newsroom
