UNITED NATIONS, Sep 08 : The United Nations (UN) has called for a “full investigation” into the death of Aysenur Egzi Eygi, a Turkish-American activist who was killed recently in the West Bank amid Israeli war against Palestinian people.
Ms. Eygi, who was born in Turkey, was shot during an anti-settlement protest, according to media reports.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, was asked by a reporter about the death at the regular UN noon briefing in New York.
The reporter noted in her question that Ms. Eygi, 26, “was shot in the head and killed by Israeli occupation forces in Nablus, West Bank. And as far as I know, that is not a war zone.”
“What is your reaction to this? Do you condemn it? And do you have a call for the IDF (Israel Defence Forces), who has also taken responsibility for her death?, the reporter further asked.
“I had not heard of this case,” Dujarric responded. “I can tell you that we, of course, we would want to see a full investigation of the circumstances and that people should be held accountable. And again, civilians must be protected at all times.”
The White House, in a statement following the news, said the administration is “deeply disturbed” by the death and also called for a probe.
“We are deeply disturbed by the tragic death of an American citizen, Aysenur Egzi Eygi, today in the West Bank and our hearts go out to her family and loved ones,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said in a statement. “We have reached out to the government of Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident.”
The Israeli Defence Forces has acknowledged aiming at demonstrators in the past and said it is probing the incident. The military group claimed it “responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them.”
Meanwhile, the family of Ms. Eygi has blamed Israel for her death and called for an independent investigation, saying in a statement that an Israel-led probe would be inadequate.
Two eyewitnesses told CNN that Ms. Eygi was shot in the head by Israeli forces responding to a protest near the city of Nablus on Friday. She had been participating in a weekly protest against an Israeli settlement near the Palestinian village of Beita, they added.
Nablus Governor Ghassan Daghlas told CNN Saturday that an autopsy conducted at Al Najah University had “confirmed that Ms. Eygi was killed by an Israeli occupation sniper’s bullet to her head.”
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