The household of a Turkish-American activist shot and killed by Israeli forces within the occupied West Financial institution urged the USA to launch an impartial inquiry into her killing, saying an Israeli probe was not “satisfactory”.
Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, was shot by an Israeli soldier whereas participating in an indication in opposition to unlawful Israeli settlements close to the West Financial institution village of Beita, close to town of Nablus, on Friday, in keeping with 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 pinnacle, Nablus Governor Ghassan Daghlas advised 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, mentioned Daghlas.
“A US citizen, Aysenur was peacefully standing for justice when she was killed,” mentioned 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 navy,” the assertion mentioned.
Israeli response
Responding to Eygi’s killing, the Israeli navy mentioned its forces had fired in direction of “a foremost instigator of violent exercise who hurled rocks” at them throughout a protest, and that it was wanting into stories {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 mentioned the demonstration was peaceable.
A number of witnesses mentioned 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 – they usually focused and murdered Aysenur,” mentioned British rights activist Rob Sadler, disputing the notion she posed any risk to Israeli forces.
In doing this work, Aysenur “has made the last word sacrifice”, Sadler advised Al Jazeera. “However we are going to proceed to work in her title and ensure her sacrifice was not for nothing. We’ll proceed to carry stress to bear on Israel till Palestine is free.”
‘Illegal killing’
US Nationwide Safety Council spokesman Sean Savett mentioned President Joe Biden’s administration was “deeply disturbed by [Eygi’s] tragic demise” and had requested Israel to research.
Nonetheless, Eygi’s advocates doubt an Israeli inquiry would make clear all of the info or guarantee accountability.
“In the event that they depart [an inquiry] to the Israeli navy, it’s going to go on for weeks and months after which it is going to be forgotten, like the numerous circumstances earlier than this,” Sultan Barakat, professor of public coverage at Hamad Bin Khalifa College, advised Al Jazeera.
Eygi’s household mentioned 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 impartial investigation into the illegal killing of a US citizen and to make sure full accountability for the responsible events,” mentioned the household.
United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric additionally known as for a “full investigation”, saying that “civilians have to 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 mentioned 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 advised Al Jazeera. “It’s one other incident, one other horrific killing of an harmless individual that’s protesting.”
