US lawmakers demand release of American student held in Israel

A group of 40 US lawmakers, including six senators, demanded the immediate release of a 20-year-old American on Tuesday who is being held in an Israeli military prison, Anadolu reports.

In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the legislators demanded the release of Sama Safi, citing her “severe chronic health condition.” Safi, a student at Birzeit University, was reportedly taken from her family’s home in the occupied West Bank during late-night military raids June 2. “You have a duty to secure the safety and security of US citizens abroad,” the lawmakers wrote, urging the State Department to prevent “further irreparable harm.” They emphasized that it is Washington’s responsibility to ensure the safety of all Americans overseas, asserting that […]