US concerned by Israeli arrests of killed teenager's family members

[4now]

Hussein Abu Khdeir father of Mahmoud Abu Khdeir 16 year old Palestinian teen abducted and burnt alive by Israeli extremists.

The US government has raised concerns about Israel’s arrest of a Palestinian teenager with American citizenship whose cousin was burned to death by extremists earlier this summer.

The State Department says it was never notified by Israel after Mohammed Abu Khdeir was arrested at his home in east Jerusalem on 28 July. It also says Israel appears to be targeting members of the Abu Khdeir family for arrest.

“The US Consulate General in Jerusalem is providing consular assistance … The consulate is also in contact with Mr Khdeir’s family and his lawyer,” State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Wednesday in Washington, expressing concern “about the fact that members of the Khdeir family appear to be singled out for arrest”.

Relatives say that 19-year-old Abu Khdeir born in Baltimore was arrested at his home after participating in protests following the killing of his 16-year-old cousin on 2 July. Another cousin, 15-year-old Tariq Abu Khdeir of Florida, was badly beaten by police the same week. That beating, captured in an amateur video, sparked international outrage and helped lead to his release.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/21/israel-arrests-palestinian-teen-us-concerns-family