US accuses Israel of targeting family of Palestinian boy burned to death by Jews

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WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The United States on Wednesday claimed Israel had targeted members of a Palestinian family whose teenage son was kidnapped and killed in July.

Tensions between Palestinians and Israelis in annexed East Jerusalem plunged to a new low on July 2 when 16-year-old Mohammed Abu Khdeir was snatched from an East Jerusalem street and later found burned alive.

Israeli police arrested six alleged Jewish extremists as suspects and on July 17 charged three, freeing the others.

The death of the Palestinian teen -- thought likely in retaliation for the abduction and killing of three Israeli students in late June -- sparked rioting and helped unleash the conflict under way in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.

Three days after his death, on July 5, the United States slammed Israel's arrest of a 15-year-old cousin, Tarek Abu Khdeir, 15, a US citizen.

He was brutally beaten in an assault captured on camera, detained, and eventually freed and allowed to return to Florida.

On July 28, another cousin of Abu Khdeir, also American, was arrested in Israel as well, the State Department said Wednesday.

Deputy Spokeswoman Marie Harf identified him as "Mohammed Abou Khdeir," which would mean his name is the same as his murdered cousin's.

"We can confirm that Mohammed Abu Khdeir, a US citizen, was arrested on July 28. The US consulate general in Jerusalem is providing consular assistance. A consular official visited him on August 14th. The consulate is also in contact with Mr. Khdeir's family and his lawyer," Harf said.

Yet "we are concerned that the US consulate general in Jerusalem was not notified of his arrest by the government of Israel.

And "we are also concerned about the fact that members of the Khdeir family appeared to be singled out for arrest by the Israeli authorities," Harf added.

US accuses Israel of targeting Abu Khdeir family | Maan News Agency