Father of Turkish-American activist wants US probe into her killing by Israeli soldiers

DIDIM, Turkey (AP) — The father of the Turkish-American activist killed by Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank on Thursday welcomed Turkey’s decision to initiate an independent investigation into her death and called on the United States to do the same.

Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who held Turkish and American citizenship, was killed last Friday during demonstrations against settlements in the West Bank. A witness who was there, Israeli protester Jonathan Pollak, said she posed no threat to Israeli forces and that the shooting came during a moment of calm, following clashes between stone-throwing protesters and Israeli troops firing tear gas and bullets.

Turkey’s Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced Thursday that Turkey had launched its own investigation into her death days after the Israeli military said in a preliminary report that Eygi was likely shot “indirectly and unintentionally” by its soldiers.

Mehmet Suat Eygi, who is based in Seattle but spoke in western Turkey, said he was very happy to learn that Turkey had opened an investigation into what he called the “arbitrary murder” of his daughter.

“I hope that the American government does the same,” he said.

He said his daughter was 10 months old when the family left Turkey for the United States. “She studied in the schools there, she grew up with freedoms there. She is a citizen of that country,” he said. “I hope the American government will show the same sensitivity.”

He was speaking in the Aegean coastal town of Didim, where Eygi used to come for vacations and spend time with family members — and where she is expected to be buried. Eygi’s grandfather’s home and the street where the house is located was adorned with Turkish flags — an honor usually bestowed to Turkish soldiers killed in conflict.

The Ankara chief prosecutor’s office was leading the Turkish probe, Tunc said, adding that Turkey would seek international arrest warrants for those responsible for her death. He also said Turkey would present findings to a U.N. court overseeing a genocide case against Israel filed by South Africa over the war in Gaza.

“We will take every judicial step for our martyred daughter, Aysenur,” Tunc said.

Mehmet Suat Eygi said his daughter was a “special person” who cared about nature and human rights and traveled to Brazil, Australia and Mexico to campaign for environmental and human rights issues.

Eygi, who attended Seattle schools and graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in psychology this year, was married and was financially comfortable, her father said. “She could have enjoyed a comfortable life, but she pursued her ideals. She left everything and went to the hell of the Middle East. She was that idealistic,” Eygi said.

Another relative, Ali Tikkin, told The Associated Press that Eygi’s family believes she was deliberately targeted by Israeli soldiers.

“There was no error or accident,” he said. “I think it was a message to the world.”

Tikkin, who is married to Eygi’s aunt, described the activist as a “free-spirited person” who began traveling the world on her own at an early age.

“Even at the age of 18 or 19, she went to different countries of the world on her own. First she started traveling out of curiosity. Later she took part in organizations by the United Nations,” he said. “She was sensitive to events happening around the world.”

A statement released by the Palestinian Ministry of Justice and signed by two forensic doctors said Eygi was brought to Rafidia Hospital in Nablus, in the West Bank, after she was hit with a bullet fired by the Israeli army. The young woman had no signs of life as her heart was not beating, the statement said, adding that the bullet entered from behind the left ear causing damage to the brain.

Medical staff tried for a sixth time to reactivate her heart with no luck and she was considered dead at 2:36 p.m. on Friday. The statement said the bullet damaged the brain and the skull and different shrapnel caused tears and bruises.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that the Biden administration was aware of outside analyses saying that Ezgi Eygi was shot 20 minutes after the clashes ended, raising questions about the Israeli military’s role in her death. “This awful, awful killing never should have happened,” said Jean-Pierre, but declined to say whether the administration was satisfied by the initial investigation by the Israel Defense Forces.

Turkish Foreign Ministry officials said Eygi’s body was expected to be flown from Tel Aviv to Baku, Azerbaijan and arrive in Turkey on Friday. Burial was likely to take place on Saturday.

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Associated Press Writer Suzan Fraser contributed from Ankara, Turkey.