US President Joe Biden has condemned the fatal shooting of Turkish-American protester Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) in the West Bank, calling the incident “totally unacceptable.” In a statement released on Wednesday, Biden acknowledged that Israel had “acknowledged responsibility” for Eygi’s death. While he condemned the incident, the President fell short of supporting the demands put by Eygi’s family and other human rights advocates for an independent inquiry into the shooting, which occurred during a protest in Beita.
“I am outraged and deeply saddened by the death of Aysenur Eygi,” Biden said in a statement on Wednesday. “Israel has acknowledged its responsibility for Aysenur’s death, and a preliminary investigation has indicated that it was the result of a tragic error resulting from an unnecessary escalation.” He added, “The US government has had full access to Israel’s preliminary investigation and expects continued access as the investigation continues so that we can have confidence in the result. There must be full accountability. And Israel must do more to ensure that incidents like this never happen again.”
However, Eygi’s family and loved ones have expressed disappointment with Biden’s response. Hamid Ali, Eygi’s partner, stated that the White House had not contacted the family directly to offer condolences or express their commitment to an independent inquiry. “For four days, we have waited for President Biden to pick up the phone and do the right thing: to call us, offer his condolences and let us know that he is ordering an independent investigation of the killing of Ayşenur,” Ali said in a statement.
The IDF has stated that the preliminary investigation indicated Eygi was likely hit indirectly and unintentionally by IDF fire aimed at protesters who they claimed had turned violent. This statement, however, has been met with skepticism by Eygi’s family who believe the shooting was intentional. They maintain that Biden’s statement accepting the IDF’s explanation is insensitive and complicit in a cover-up.
Vice President Kamala Harris has also condemned the shooting, calling it “unacceptable” and raising “legitimate questions about the conduct of IDF personnel in the West Bank.” Both Biden and Harris have called for Israel to take steps to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
This incident follows the death of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in Jenin in 2022. In that case, the US brushed aside demands for prosecution, a decision that further fuels concerns about accountability for incidents involving American citizens in the West Bank. The international community is watching closely to see how the US government will respond to this latest incident and whether it will push for a more thorough and transparent investigation into the killing of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi.
