A vigil has been held evening outside the White House in memory of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a Turkish-American activist killed by Israeli forces on September 6 during a peaceful protest in the occupied West Bank.
Eygi's family, including her father Mehmet Suat Eygi, her sister Ozden Bennett and her husband Hamid Ali, joined the event at Lafayette Square on Monday alongside Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and numerous attendees demanding justice for her killing.
Addressing the gathering, Tlaib, who represents Michigan's 12th District and is the only Palestinian American in Congress, criticised President Joe Biden for failing to order an independent investigation into Eygi's death, instead deferring to an ongoing Israeli probe that has yet to deliver accountability more than three months after her killing.
"We know that President Biden recently said, 'If you harm an American, we will respond.' But his inaction has made it clear once again that when it comes to the Israeli government murdering Americans, it's a complete lie," Tlaib said.
She also criticised Biden's earlier characterisation of Eygi's death as a "tragic error." "We all know that Aysenur's murder was not a 'tragic error,'" she said.
"It was devastating for her family to hear them say that, and we know that, and she knew that what the Israeli military did to her, they do to the Palestinians every single day," she said. Tlaib called for accountability, demanding an independent investigation.
'Died fighting for others'
Hamid Ali, Eygi's husband, expressed frustration with the Biden administration, noting that while officials called her death "unprovoked" and "unjustified," they have yet to hold Israel accountable.
"Where is the justice, and what exactly is taking so long?" Ali said. "If the US had held Israel accountable for the killings of other Americans like Rachel Corrie or Shireen Abu Akleh, perhaps Israeli soldiers wouldn't feel so emboldened to kill Americans and other civilians today."
Ozden Bennett, Eygi's sister, described her as a "global citizen," which she said is an "example of the best of what it means to be an American and human."
"Aysenur died fighting for others, as did many before her. Justice for Aysenur would be one step closer to justice for other victims of senseless violence by the Israeli military," she said.
Israeli forces killed Eygi during a peaceful protest against illegal Israeli settlements near Nablus in the occupied West Bank.
A preliminary investigation by Israel found that she was "highly likely" hit "indirectly and unintentionally" by Israeli fire that was targeting a "main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks" during the protest.
Video evidence and witness accounts, however, have contradicted Israel's version of events, with many saying an Israeli sniper directly hit her.
A report by The Washington Post also revealed that Eygi was shot more than 30 minutes after the peak of confrontations in Beita and about 20 minutes after protesters had moved over 200 yards down the main road, away from Israeli forces.
