Sun Sep 15 14:26:52 UTC 2024: ## US Complicity in Killing of American Activist in West Bank Raises Concerns
**Nablus, West Bank -** Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, a 26-year-old Turkish-American activist, was shot and killed by an Israeli soldier in the occupied West Bank last week, sparking international outrage and highlighting the ongoing issue of Israeli impunity. Despite Eygi being an American citizen, the Israeli military claimed her death was an “accident” and “unintentional,” while the US echoed these assertions, despite eyewitness accounts contradicting the claim.
The Israeli military’s open-fire regulations are often cited as justification for using lethal force against Palestinians, even during protests, but these regulations are routinely violated, as documented by B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights group. Despite numerous Palestinian casualties, Israeli soldiers rarely face consequences for their actions.
US President Joe Biden, while expressing outrage over Eygi’s death, expressed reliance on Israel’s internal investigation, raising concerns that he will fail to hold Israel accountable. This follows a similar pattern of US inaction in the 2022 killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, another US citizen.
While the Biden administration has yet to acknowledge Eygi’s family’s calls for a US probe, Turkey has vowed to pursue international arrest requests for those responsible for Eygi’s death.
The US has a long history of providing Israel with military and economic aid, which has been used to maintain its illegal occupation of Palestinian territories. This aid, coupled with Washington’s unwillingness to hold Israel accountable for its actions, has fostered a culture of impunity and resulted in the deaths of numerous Palestinians, including US citizens.
Calls for the US to take action include:
* An FBI investigation into Eygi’s death, with those responsible held accountable.
* A public accounting of how many US citizens have been killed or injured by Israeli forces.
* A review of whether US weapons were used in Eygi’s killing and consideration of halting military assistance to the relevant Israeli unit.
* The deployment of diplomatic weight to achieve a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and restrict military aid to Israel.
The international community must hold Israel accountable for its actions and ensure justice for the victims of its illegal occupation. The US, as a key ally of Israel, must take a more proactive role in promoting accountability and peace in the region.
First Piper 