Lawmakers call on Rubio to intervene in case of US citizen detained by Israel
Lawmakers call on Rubio to intervene in case of US citizen detained by Israel Submitted by Yasmine El-Sabawi on Wed, 08/26/2026 - 18:30 Sama Safi is more likely to be forced into a plea deal than see Washington secure her release, relative tells Middle East Eye Sama Safi, a US student at Birzeit University in the occupied West Bank, is pictured in a photo uploaded to her Facebook profile on 22…
Over 40 US lawmakers have penned a letter urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to intercede in the case of Sama Safi, a US student detained in an Israeli prison since June. Safi, a 20-year-old enrolled at Birzeit University in the occupied West Bank, was arrested alongside three other female colleagues on June 2. The lawmakers, all Democrats, hail from both chambers of Congress, but Washington's ability to secure her release is reportedly slim.
Safi, who suffers from Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF), a chronic condition requiring constant medical monitoring and specialized treatments unavailable in the occupied territories, faces an uncertain future within Israeli custody. Her health has rapidly deteriorated due to harsh detention conditions, including stress positions and shackling, leading doctors to warn of irreversible and potentially life-threatening damage.
Safi's arrest is alleged to be politically motivated, with Israeli authorities linking her to the Marxist group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a claim her lawyer denies. The lawmakers implore Rubio to utilize all available resources to secure Safi's immediate release, emphasizing the arbitrary nature of her detention.
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