In a strong condemnation of Israeli military conduct, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have called for major reforms following the death of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, an American and Turkish national, in the occupied West Bank.
Eygi, 26, was fatally shot by Israeli forces during a protest against settlement expansion in Beita, near Nablus, on June 11, 2023.
The Israeli military acknowledged on Tuesday that Eygi’s death was likely the result of a shot fired by their troops, but insisted it was unintentional. U.S. President Joe Biden later told reporters the shot had “ricocheted off the ground,” an explanation supported by Israeli investigators.
However, Eygi’s family, along with Palestinian officials, rejected this explanation, calling it “wholly inadequate,” and demanding an independent U.S. investigation. Eygi’s partner, Hamid Ali, expressed frustration, saying, “Her death was no accident, and her killers must be held accountable.”
In their sharpest criticism to date of Israel, Blinken and Austin described Eygi’s killing as “unprovoked and unjustified” and insisted that Israel overhaul its military rules of engagement in the West Bank. Blinken, speaking in London, said, “No one should be shot and killed for attending a protest.
The Israeli security forces need to make fundamental changes.” Austin echoed these concerns in a conversation with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, urging the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to reexamine its conduct.
The killing of Eygi marks the second time an American citizen has died at the hands of Israeli security forces, further straining U.S.-Israel relations. Tensions have escalated amid growing violence in the West Bank, fueled by increased settler assaults on Palestinians and Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas militants in Gaza.
While Israel’s military has promised a criminal investigation into Eygi’s death, it insists the incident occurred during what it described as a “violent riot” involving Palestinian protesters. Western allies, including the United States, are pressuring Israel to curb settler violence and reexamine the legality of settlement expansions, which Washington says undermines prospects for peace in the region.
Eygi’s death has intensified scrutiny of Israeli operations in the West Bank, with U.S. officials signaling that Israel’s conduct in the territory could have lasting diplomatic consequences.
Chioma Kalu
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