Israeli Killing of Protester in West Bank Sparks US Accountability Demands
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The killing of a 26-year-old Turkish-American protester by Israeli forces in the West Bank has reignited calls for the United States to hold Israel accountable for the deaths of its citizens.
The fatal shooting of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a 26-year-old Turkish-American protester, in the occupied West Bank has sparked renewed calls for the US to demand accountability from Israel’s armed forces.
Eygi, a dual US and Turkish citizen, was protesting against an illegal Israeli settlement on Mount Sbeih in Beita, south of Nablus, when she was shot in the head by an Israeli soldier, according to witnesses.
She later died of her injuries at Rafidia Hospital in Nablus.
Palestinian-American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib was among the first US officials to respond, urging Secretary of State Antony Blinken to intervene.
At a news briefing, Blinken expressed condolences and pledged that the US government would gather the facts and act accordingly.
Advocates argue, however, that justice for American citizens killed by Israeli forces has been elusive.
Examples include the deaths of US citizens Tawfiq Ajaq, Shireen Abu Akleh, and Omar Assad in recent years, which have seen little accountability.
Other examples stretch back more than a decade. In 2010, teenager Furkan Dogan, another dual US and Turkish citizen, was killed when Israeli commandos boarded a ship trying to deliver aid to Gaza.
And in 2003, an Israeli soldier driving a bulldozer crushed Washington resident Rachel Corrie to death as she protested the destruction of Palestinian homes.
The Biden administration said it is seeking information from Israel on Eygi's death, while the Israeli military has stated it is investigating the incident.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has called on the US to take concrete steps toward accountability, as critics point to a double standard in how the US handles such cases.
Israel is one of the US’s closest allies in the Middle East, and critics fear that has led to a reticence towards pursuing justice in cases in which its soldiers appear to be at fault.
Washington provides $3.8bn in military aid to the Israeli occupiers each year. That number has increased since Israel’s war in Gaza erupted in October, with the Biden administration pledging additional weapons and support.
The White House said it was “deeply disturbed” by the death of an American woman who was shot in the head by Israeli troops during a protest against Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The White House also called for Israel to investigate her killing, which has caused strong reactions across the international community.