Household of American girl killed in Israeli-occupied West Financial institution says U.S. response “much more heartbreaking”

Greater than two months after American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi was killed within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution, allegedly by a member of Israel’s safety forces, her household tells CBS Information their religion in the US has been shattered as a result of lack of any unbiased legal investigation.

Eygi’s husband Hamid Ali mentioned he was appalled by the response of the Biden administration. 

“I’d hope that the U.S. authorities is ready to implement its personal regulation on this case and withhold, on the very least, funding from its personal taxpayers that went to this unit or this soldier that killed one among its personal residents,” he informed CBS Information.

Neither the Biden administration nor any U.S. regulation enforcement company has introduced an investigation into Eygi’s killing. The State Division informed CBS Information it continues pushing to see the outcomes of a “full, clear” Israeli probe.

Eygi’s sister, Özden Bennett, mentioned the Biden administration’s response had made the grieving course of “much more heartbreaking and painful.”

“No household ought to should expertise this,” she informed CBS Information, with tears in her eyes.

Bennett mentioned that rising up within the U.S., she had developed an idealistic imaginative and prescient of the nation and its values however her sister’s loss of life “shattered” these concepts.

“It seems like they do not care about all U.S. residents the identical manner,” she mentioned. “The U.S. authorities, or the Biden administration notably, not opening an investigation makes us query why it isn’t being equally handled.”

Witnesses, her household, and the group Eygi had joined at a protest have mentioned the U.S.-Turkish twin nationwide was shot within the head by an Israeli sniper as she stood underneath a tree within the West Financial institution metropolis of Nablus. 

She was shot not lengthy after becoming a member of a protest organized by the Worldwide Solidarity Motion, at which the Israel Protection Forces mentioned some demonstrators had thrown projectiles at troops. Witnesses mentioned she was shot after the protest, and away from the place it had taken place.

The IDF mentioned an preliminary inquiry discovered it was “extremely seemingly that she was hit not directly and unintentionally” by a member of the Israeli safety forces. The IDF informed CBS Information on Thursday that it was unable to offer any additional element on its ongoing investigation.

A State Division spokesperson informed CBS Information final week that the U.S. has continued to press Israel for “a full, clear, and speedy investigation.”

“We’re desirous to see the findings as quickly as potential, together with any acceptable accountability measures that might be taken,” the spokesperson added.

Requested whether or not the U.S. authorities meant to launch its personal legal investigation into Eygi’s killing, the White Home referred CBS Information again to President Biden’s assertion from September, during which he mentioned Israel had “acknowledged its duty for Aysenur’s loss of life,” and that the U.S. had “full entry to Israel’s preliminary investigation, and expects continued entry because the investigation continues, in order that we will have faith within the end result.”

However Eygi’s father, Mehmet Suat Eygi, mentioned it appeared to have turn out to be the norm for the U.S. authorities to downplay the killing of Individuals by Israeli forces. He mentioned his daughter’s loss of life reminded him of the deaths of different U.S. nationals within the Palestinian territories, notably Rachel Corrie and Shireen Abu Akleh.

“It is past disappointment,” the bereaved father informed CBS Information. “The response of the U.S. authorities solely asserts that Israel might kill anybody and there could be no penalties.”

He emigrated to the Seattle space in 1999, when his daughter was 10 months outdated, and was naturalized in 2005. Aysenur Eygi grew up within the Pacific Northwest and graduated from the College of Washington within the spring of 2024. She had deliberate to begin a PhD program after taking a niche yr off.

“The security of Americans shouldn’t be tied to their ideological assist to Israel,” Eygi’s father informed CBS Information.

Samah Park Imtiaz was an in depth buddy of Eygi. Sobbing quietly, she recalled to CBS Information their final telephone name, when Eygi informed her how a lot she missed her cat.

“I’m nonetheless in a dream state after I take into consideration what occurred,” Imtiaz mentioned. “[Biden] mentioned whoever harm Individuals would face penalties. We’re Individuals and we deserve solutions.”

In September, 103 members of the U.S. Congress signed a letter to Mr. Biden urging the administration to launch an unbiased investigation into Eygi’s killing. 

“To stroll away with out asking additional questions provides Israeli forces unacceptable license to behave with impunity,” the lawmakers mentioned.

Brad Parker, a member of the authorized workforce supporting Eygi’s household, referred to as the Biden administration’s response up to now “underwhelming,” and mentioned it was “regarding” that there had not been a “robust signal to pursue justice for Aysenur.”

“I believe it is the coverage at this level, which could be characterised as offering impunity to Israeli forces, even within the killing of Americans,” he informed CBS Information. “The main focus has been on having the Israeli navy regulate [its] guidelines of engagement, slightly than justice and accountability for particular killings of Americans.”

Eygi’s husband, Ali, mentioned Israel’s shut alliance with the U.S. shouldn’t make it proof against penalties.

“Israel has a historical past of not being forthcoming with any form of investigation and, when they’re, it’s largely insufficient what they provide you with,” he mentioned.

His sister-in-law mentioned the Biden administration had but to deal with the household’s ache, “apart from condolences.”

“If the U.S. authorities doesn’t reply to circumstances like hers, which traditionally they haven’t, Israel has the inexperienced gentle to proceed appearing with impunity and killing different residents,” Bennett asserted.

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