2 Congress members call for US-led investigation into killing of Turkish American activist

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Senator Patty Murray and Representative Pramila Jayapal urged the Biden administration on Wednesday to conduct an independent, US-led investigation into the killing last week of Turkish American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank.

“Our hearts are with her family, friends, colleagues and community, all of whom are devastated by her killing and deserve to know their government has done everything it can to fully understand what led to her killing, pursue accountability for those involved, and seek to ensure this does not happen again,” Murray and Jayapal wrote in a letter addressing President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

“That is why we request an immediate, transparent, credible and thorough independent US investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), into the killing of Ms. Eygi, which as Secretary Blinken said was ‘unprovoked and unjustified.’”

Eygi’s family also demanded an independent investigation and criticized a statement by Biden in which he said Eygi’s death “was the result of a tragic error resulting from an unnecessary escalation.”

The family also noted the Biden-Harris administration’s lack of communication, saying: “The appropriate action is for President Biden and Vice President (Kamala) Harris to speak with the family directly and order an independent, transparent investigation into the killing of Aysenur, a volunteer for peace."

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby confirmed Monday that Biden has not spoken with Eygi’s family to offer condolences.

Initial findings from the Israeli army's investigation on Tuesday said Eygi, 26, a dual Turkish-US national, was "highly likely" and "indirectly and unintentionally" hit by fire from Israeli forces during a protest Friday against illegal Israeli settlements in the town of Beita near Nablus.

Eygi, born in Antalya, Türkiye in 1998, moved to the US with her family when she was an infant and graduated in June from the University of Washington, where she studied psychology and Middle Eastern languages and cultures.​​​​​​​

She arrived in the West Bank last Tuesday to volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) as part of an effort to support and safeguard Palestinian farmers.