The Israeli military has acknowledged that it is "highly likely" its forces were responsible for the death of an American citizen during a protest in the occupied West Bank last week, marking a rare admission from Israel in such incidents. The U.S. government has responded with strong condemnation, calling the shooting "unprovoked and unjustified" and demanding significant changes in how Israel conducts its operations in the region.
The victim, 26-year-old Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, was shot and killed on Friday during a demonstration against the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Eygi, a recent graduate of the University of Washington and an activist with dual Turkish and American citizenship, was participating in what has been described as a peaceful protest when the incident occurred. The International Solidarity Movement, a pro-Palestinian advocacy group, initially reported her death, stating that she had been peacefully demonstrating when she was shot.
According to a statement released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday, an initial inquiry found that Eygi was "hit indirectly and unintentionally by IDF fire," which was not aimed at her but rather at a "key instigator" of the protest. The IDF had previously described the demonstration at Beita Junction, near the city of Nablus, as a "violent riot" where dozens of Palestinian protesters allegedly burned tires and hurled rocks at security forces.
Eygi's family, however, has disputed the IDF's characterization of the event, maintaining that she was participating in a nonviolent protest and was deliberately targeted. Video evidence purportedly shows that the bullet that struck her came from an Israeli military shooter, according to her family. They have called for an independent U.S.-led investigation, expressing skepticism about the thoroughness and impartiality of an Israeli inquiry.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking during a trip to London on Tuesday, echoed the family's concerns, stating that the IDF inquiry aligns with eyewitness accounts suggesting that Eygi's killing was both "unprovoked and unjustified." Blinken also called for "fundamental changes" in the way Israeli security forces operate in the West Bank, particularly regarding the use of live fire during protests. "No one should be shot and killed for attending a protest," Blinken said, emphasizing the need for accountability.
The IDF has announced that a criminal investigation into the incident has been launched by its Military Police Criminal Investigation Division (MPCID), and the findings will be reviewed by the Military Advocate General's Corps upon conclusion. Additionally, Israel has requested to carry out an autopsy on Eygi's body, expressing "deepest regret" over her death.
The incident has further strained relations between the U.S. and Israel, with Washington pressing for a transparent and comprehensive investigation. It comes at a time when Israel is facing increased international scrutiny over its actions in the West Bank, particularly regarding the rising violence from settlers and the expansion of settlements, which the International Court of Justice has deemed a violation of international law.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed such criticisms, arguing that Israel has the right to defend its territory and people. He has also rejected calls from the International Court of Justice to halt settlement activities, stating that "the Jewish people are not conquerors in their own land," referring to Jerusalem and the West Bank.
This is not the first time an American citizen has been killed under contentious circumstances in the West Bank. The 2022 shooting of Shireen Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian American journalist, also sparked international outrage. The IDF initially blamed Palestinian gunmen for her death, but later admitted that an Israeli soldier likely shot her. Despite a U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into Abu Akleh's killing, Israel has refused to cooperate fully with the investigation, and no one has been prosecuted.
