The household of a Turkish-American activist shot and killed by Israeli forces within the occupied West Financial institution urged america to launch an unbiased inquiry into her killing, saying an Israeli probe was not “sufficient”.
Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, was shot by an Israeli soldier whereas collaborating in an illustration towards unlawful Israeli settlements close to the West Financial institution village of Beita, close to the town of Nablus, on Friday, based on witnesses and native authorities.
An post-mortem confirmed that Eygi, who died of her wounds at a Nablus hospital, was killed by a sniper bullet to the top, Nablus Governor Ghassan Daghlas instructed Al Jazeera on Saturday.
Nablus, the governorate the place Beita is positioned, will maintain an official ceremony commemorating Eygi after her physique is handed to her household, stated Daghlas.
“A US citizen, Aysenur was peacefully standing for justice when she was killed,” stated her household in a press release on Saturday, describing her as a “fiercely passionate human rights activist”.
“Her presence in our lives was taken needlessly, unlawfully and violently by the Israeli army,” the assertion stated.
Israeli response
Responding to Eygi’s killing, the Israeli army stated its forces had fired in direction of “a most important instigator of violent exercise who hurled rocks” at them throughout a protest, and that it was wanting into experiences {that a} international nationwide was killed.
Eygi was a member of the Worldwide Solidarity Motion (ISM), a pro-Palestinian organisation. The group on Saturday dismissed claims that its activists threw rocks at Israeli forces as “false” and stated the demonstration was peaceable.
A number of witnesses stated an Israeli sniper, stationed on a close-by rooftop, shot Eygi after she moved into an olive grove.
“A sniper fired from a constructing – one or two pictures – and so they focused and murdered Aysenur,” stated British rights activist Rob Sadler, disputing the notion she posed any menace to Israeli forces.
In doing this work, Aysenur “has made the last word sacrifice”, Sadler instructed Al Jazeera. “However we are going to proceed to work in her identify and ensure her sacrifice was not for nothing. We’ll proceed to convey strain to bear on Israel till Palestine is free.”
‘Illegal killing’
US Nationwide Safety Council spokesman Sean Savett stated President Joe Biden’s administration was “deeply disturbed by [Eygi’s] tragic dying” and had requested Israel to research.
Nevertheless, Eygi’s advocates doubt an Israeli inquiry would make clear all of the information or guarantee accountability.
“In the event that they depart [an inquiry] to the Israeli army, it’ll go on for weeks and months after which will probably be forgotten, like the numerous circumstances earlier than this,” Sultan Barakat, professor of public coverage at Hamad Bin Khalifa College, instructed Al Jazeera.
Eygi’s household stated an Israeli investigation was not sufficient “given the circumstances”, and urged the US to deal with it.
“We name on President Biden, Vice President [Kamala] Harris, and Secretary of State [Antony] Blinken to order an unbiased investigation into the illegal killing of a US citizen and to make sure full accountability for the responsible events,” stated the household.
United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric additionally referred to as for a “full investigation”, saying that “civilians should be protected always”.
‘Not unprecedented’
Eygi is just not the primary US citizen to be killed by Israeli forces or settlers within the West Financial institution.
Earlier this 12 months, an off-duty Israeli police officer and a settler opened fireplace and killed 17-year-old US citizen Tawfiq Ajaq close to his ancestral village of al-Mazraa ash-Sharqiya. An investigation into the case is ongoing.
In 2022, an Israeli sniper shot US citizen and Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was reporting on the time within the Jenin refugee camp.
US Senator Chris Van Hollen stated Eygi is the third American to be killed within the West Financial institution since October 7 and that the Biden administration “has not been doing sufficient to pursue justice and accountability on their behalf”.
“It’s unlucky however it’s not unprecedented”, US lawyer and Palestinian rights activist Tarek Khalil instructed Al Jazeera. “It’s one other incident, one other horrific killing of an harmless particular person that’s protesting.”
