Nablus governor condemns killing of Turkish-American activist by Israeli soldiers

By Cagri Kosak and Mehmet Nuri Ucar

NABLUS (AA) - Nablus Governor Ghassan Daghlas on Friday strongly condemned the killing of Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who was shot in the head by Israeli soldiers in Nablus.

In a statement to Anadolu, Daghlas expressed his outrage, saying: "Israel is killing American activists in Palestine with weapons provided by the United States." He emphasized that Israel targets foreigners, including Americans, who show solidarity with Palestine.

Daghlas further stated: "The Israeli occupying government is fully responsible for this crime and all other incidents on Palestinian soil."

He confirmed that Eygi was participating in a peaceful protest in the town of Beita, located in Nablus, when she was fatally shot by Israeli soldiers.

The governor urged the international community to take action against Israel's aggressive tactics. "Israel is killing in both Gaza and the West Bank. It shows no mercy to any country's citizens and makes no distinctions between them," Daghlas said.

Israeli soldiers had intervened with live ammunition during an anti-occupation protest in Beita, a town in the Nablus region of the West Bank. Eygi was shot in the head, and despite being rushed to the hospital, she succumbed to her injuries.

- Rachel Corrie: A tragic parallel

The killing of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi draws a stark parallel to the case of American activist Rachel Corrie, who was killed 21 years ago by an Israeli bulldozer.

Born in Washington D.C. in 1979, Corrie was a human rights activist and a member of the International Solidarity Movement.

On March 16, 2003, while wearing a bright orange jacket and using a megaphone, she tried to prevent the demolition of Palestinian homes in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Despite her visible presence, an Israeli armored bulldozer ran over her, killing her instantly.

Corrie had believed that her foreign status would stop the Israeli forces from continuing with the destruction, but tragically, the bulldozer did not stop.

The deaths of both Eygi and Corrie highlight the ongoing dangers faced by activists in the region and raise serious concerns about the tactics used by Israeli forces against those protesting its occupation policies.