UN and US Demand Investigation into Killing of US-Turkish Woman at West Bank Protest

The United Nations has called for a thorough investigation into the fatal shooting of a US-Turkish national, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, during a protest in the occupied West Bank. The 26-year-old woman was participating in a weekly demonstration against Jewish settlement expansion in Beita, a town near Nablus, when she was killed by Israeli forces.

Local reports indicate that Eygi was shot during the protest, which often draws attention to the contentious issue of settlement growth in the West Bank. Israel's military acknowledged the incident, stating that they were "looking into reports that a foreign national was killed as a result of shots fired in the area."

Eyewitnesses, including Jewish-Israeli activist Jonathan Pollak, recounted the harrowing events. Pollak, who was present at the demonstration, described hearing two gunshots and seeing soldiers stationed on rooftops. He rushed to assist after hearing cries for help and found Eygi lying beneath an olive tree, gravely injured from a gunshot wound to the head.

In his emotional account, Pollak said, "I tried to stop the bleeding, but her pulse was already very weak." Despite swift medical intervention, Eygi was declared dead after being rushed to a hospital in Nablus.

Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, expressed deep concern over the incident, calling for a "full investigation" and stressing that "civilians must be protected at all times." The United States echoed this demand, with White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett stating Washington was "deeply disturbed" by Eygi's death and had requested further information from the Israeli government.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the killing, describing it as "barbaric," while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken deplored the "tragic loss." Eygi, a dual-national, had recently graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle, where she was remembered fondly by university leadership for her positive influence on the student community.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that their forces had responded to rock-throwing during security operations in Beita and claimed that a main instigator had been targeted. However, Pollak, who was close to the scene, refuted the IDF's account, asserting that there was no stone-throwing in Eygi's immediate vicinity and that the soldiers had not been under any apparent threat.

This tragic incident has once again spotlighted the volatile situation in the West Bank, where tensions between Palestinians and Israeli forces remain high. In recent weeks, Israeli forces have conducted major operations in Jenin, another flashpoint in the occupied West Bank, resulting in numerous casualties. 

The expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law by the UN and the majority of the international community, continues to exacerbate the conflict. More than 700,000 Israelis now live in settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, further intensifying the political and social landscape of the region.

As investigations unfold, the international community will be closely watching Israel's response, with growing calls for accountability in the wake of Eygi’s death.