More than a dozen Americans have been killed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, a grim story for Palestinian residents and for US taxpayers whose money helps arm the settlers.

• More than a dozen US citizens have been murdered in the West Bank, mostly by Israeli settlers.
• The settlers carry American rifles supplied through US government aid.
• Palestinians are barred from carrying weapons on their own land, leaving them unable to defend themselves.
• Settler groups are using that imbalance to push Palestinians off land they want to take.
• The killings have drawn little response from Washington despite the victims being Americans.

Outlook: Pressure is likely to grow on Washington to explain why US-funded weapons keep ending up in the hands of settlers accused of killing Americans.