The household of a Turkish American activist who was killed by the Israeli army within the occupied West Financial institution is amplifying their months-long demand for an unbiased, U.S.-led investigation into her demise — this time, within the U.S. capital.
Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi’s family members joined advocates and progressive lawmakers Tuesday in calling on the Biden administration to struggle for justice and accountability on behalf of the 26-year-old American citizen. She was shot useless on Sept. 6 by a still-unidentified soldier whereas volunteering as a peaceable worldwide observer for Palestinians protesting Israel’s unlawful settlement enlargement within the West Financial institution.
“Through letters and conversations, we have asked the administration to stand on its word, ‘If you hurt an American, we will respond,’” Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Sick.) stated at a press convention, referring to a remark President Joe Biden made on the time of Eygi’s killing. “Well, we’re here. We’ve been here, and it’s time to respond.
“It is time for an independent, U.S.-led investigation into her killing, and all the American citizens who have been murdered by Israeli military operations,” she continued. “It is time to put an end to the weapons and the bombs that feed a campaign of death and of destruction. It is time to have those responsible be held accountable.”
Celal Gunes/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs
Each the White Home and the State Division expressed frustration with the Israeli authorities within the quick aftermath of Eygi’s killing, although the slain activist’s household stated this week that Biden nonetheless has not known as them. The White Home didn’t instantly reply to HuffPost’s requests for remark.
The administration’s disapproval prompted the Israeli army to conduct a preliminary investigation into itself that concluded it was “highly likely” a soldier shot Eygi “indirectly and unintentionally” throughout a “violent riot.” Biden, who has supplied unconditional army assist to Israel, appeared to assist the conclusion on the time, calling Eygi’s demise “the result of a tragic error.”
However proof and credible eyewitness accounts recommend an Israeli sniper deliberately shot Eygi within the head from an elevated place, about half-hour after the protest was over. She was in an olive grove greater than 200 yards away from Israeli forces.
“I was dumbfounded – was I really supposed to accept that an Israeli soldier accidentally shot her in the head from hundreds of feet away? And that my own government found this explanation acceptable enough to forgo holding accountable the foreign military responsible?” Hamid Ali, Eygi’s husband, wrote Saturday in The Hill.
On the press convention, Ali stated he and Eygi had simply celebrated their third anniversary when she was killed.
On Monday, Eygi’s household met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken to demand a U.S. investigation into her demise. The secretary was attentive, the household stated. However they stated he basically echoed the identical imprecise rhetoric utilized in different circumstances of Israel killing People — like activist Rachel Corrie, who was run over in 2003 by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza; journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot within the head in 2022 by an Israeli soldier within the West Financial institution; or Omar As’advert, an aged man who was killed that very same yr, after Israeli forces violently detained him whereas he was strolling house from his pal’s home within the West Financial institution.
Celal Gunes/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs
The household didn’t come away from the assembly optimistic in regards to the U.S. pursuing justice for Eygi, sister Ozden Bennett stated on Monday. Blinken instructed them the administration continues to be ready for Israel’s wider investigation into the incident, although such probes not often end in self-discipline.
State Division spokesman Matthew Miller echoed Blinken’s sentiment on Monday, telling reporters that the U.S. has taken Eygi’s case “extremely seriously” however that there will probably be no actionable change till the Israeli army releases its investigation into itself. On Tuesday, Palestinians sued the State Division for violating U.S. legislation by not suspending army assist, following circumstances like Eygi’s.
“Over 100 members of Congress have called for an independent investigation in Ayşenur’s death, and I have also had numerous briefings with top State Department officials – in person, on the phone, in groups, individually myself, advocating for Ayşenur and her family,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D), who represents Eygi’s hometown of Seattle, stated on Tuesday.
“Let me say this very clearly so there is no question about where I stand: I am absolutely appalled with the lack of commitment on this case, the lack of attention from the State Department … for the wellbeing and the safety of our own U.S. citizens,” she continued. “Nothing that I have heard from the State Department gives me any assurance at all that the killing of a United States citizen by the IDF is being treated with the urgency that it deserves.”
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The West Financial institution has skilled rising army and settler violence amid Israel’s now 14-month U.S.-funded bombardment of Gaza, an offensive a lot of the worldwide group now describes as genocidal. Eygi was unapologetically pro-Palestinian, reportedly telling her professor on the College of Washington that she was going to the West Financial institution as a result of “she needed to bear witness for the sake of her own humanity.”
“From what I’ve learned about Ayşenur, I know that she would not want us to demand justice for her alone,” Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) stated on Tuesday. “So I stand here and honor her in saying: We will save lives, no matter faith or ethnicity.”
