By Susan Heavey and Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday known as the Israeli army’s killing of an American activist within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution “unacceptable” and mentioned Israel should do extra to verify it by no means occurs once more.
Israel has taken duty for the loss of life of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, who was killed whereas participating in a protest in opposition to settlement growth within the West Financial institution. Biden mentioned the U.S. authorities expects continued entry to the felony investigation into the taking pictures.
“There must be full accountability. And Israel must do more to ensure that incidents like this never happen again,” Biden mentioned in an announcement.
Harris mentioned in a separate assertion that nobody needs to be killed for collaborating in a peaceable protest.
“The shooting that led to her death is unacceptable and raises legitimate questions about the conduct of IDF (Israel Defense Forces) personnel in the West Bank,” she mentioned.
Eygi, who can be a Turkish nationwide, was shot useless on Friday at a protest march in Beita, a village close to Nablus the place Palestinians have been repeatedly attacked by far-right Jewish settlers. Israel has mentioned her loss of life was unintended.
For the reason that 1967 Center East warfare, Israel has occupied the West Financial institution of the Jordan River, an space Palestinians need because the core of a future unbiased state. Israel has constructed a thickening array of settlements there that almost all international locations deem unlawful. Israel disputes that assertion, citing historic and biblical ties to the territory.
The Worldwide Courtroom of Justice mentioned in July that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements there have been unlawful and needs to be ended as quickly as doable
Eygi’s relations known as on Biden and Harris to talk to the household instantly and order an unbiased investigation into her taking pictures.
To name her loss of life an accident “is complicity in the Israeli military’s agenda to take Palestinian land and whitewash the killing of an American. … Let us be clear, an American citizen was killed by a foreign military in a targeted attack,” the household mentioned in an announcement.
Democratic U.S. Senator Patty Murray and Consultant Pramila Jayapal wrote a letter to Biden on Wednesday and requested “an immediate, transparent, credible and thorough” unbiased U.S. investigation.
Biden additionally decried the continuing violence within the West Financial institution by “extremist Israeli settlers” and “Palestinian terrorists,” someday after high U.S. officers demanded an overhaul of Israeli army conduct within the occupied West Financial institution.