Omar Abul-Majid As’ad

Their life

Omar Abul-Majid As’ad was an 80-year-old Palestinian-American who spent much of his life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before returning to the West Bank around a decade before his death. Born in Palestine, Omar had deep ties to both his homeland and his family in the United States. He was a retired civilian, known in his village of Jaljulia as a quiet, elderly man with health issues, including respiratory problems. Despite holding U.S. citizenship, he chose to remain in Palestine in his later years, fearing that if he left, he would not be allowed to return. On January 12, 2022, while returning home from visiting relatives, he was stopped by Israeli soldiers during a night raid, detained, blindfolded, and beaten—an act that ultimately led to his death.

Omar Abul-Majid As’ad was born in Palestine in 1941. Like many Palestinians of his generation, his life spanned decades of political turmoil, displacement, and struggle. He eventually emigrated to the United States, where he settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and became a U.S. citizen. There, he lived for many years, raised a family, and worked until his retirement. Around 2012, As’ad returned to his birthplace in the occupied West Bank, specifically the village of Jaljulia, near Ramallah. He was known by locals as a kind, soft-spoken man who lived a quiet life. Despite his age and deteriorating health—including chronic respiratory problems—he remained active in his community and maintained strong family ties. Due to the Israeli military's control over Palestinian movement, he feared that leaving the West Bank to visit his children in the U.S. could result in being denied re-entry, so he chose to remain in Palestine.

How they died

Omar As’ad died of a heart attack caused by external violence. The physical trauma was inflicted by Israeli soldiers who detained and assaulted him during a night raid in his village.

According to an autopsy conducted by Israeli medical authorities, Omar Abul-Majid As’ad’s cause of death was a cardiac arrest induced by stress and trauma from external physical violence. The autopsy revealed bruises on his head, redness and marks on his wrists from tight bindings, and bleeding in his eyelids, likely caused by being blindfolded too tightly. These injuries were sustained after Israeli soldiers stopped his vehicle around 1:30 a.m., forcibly removed him from the car, and took him to an under-construction building where he was cuffed, blindfolded, dragged, and beaten. The physical abuse and psychological stress proved fatal. His preexisting respiratory issues likely made him even more vulnerable. After realizing he was unresponsive, the soldiers reportedly left him behind without medical aid.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Omar Abul-Majid As’ad, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources