Family of US activist killed in West Bank says no prospect of US inquiry

WASHINGTON: The family of a Turkish-born American human rights activist killed by Israel in the occupied West Bank pleaded with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday for a US probe into her killing but got no promises, the woman’s husband said.

Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, was shot dead on September 6 as she took part in a protest march in the town of Beita against Jewish settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with the top US diplomat, Hamid Ali said Blinken was attentive but gave no assurances that Washington would carry out its own investigation and urged Eygi’s relatives to wait for Israel to finish its inquiry.

“He was very deferential to the Israelis,” Ali said of Blinken. “It felt like he was saying his hands were tied and they weren’t able to really do much.”

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There was no clear timeline on when Israel would conclude its investigation, Ali said.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Blinken told the family that Israel had informed the United States in recent days that it was finalising their probe and that the State Department would promptly share any findings with the family.

“With respect to a United States investigation… that would be in the remit of the Justice Department,” Miller said.

Israel has acknowledged its troops shot Eygi, but says it was an unintentional act during a demonstration that turned violent. Her family believes she was targeted as an activist.

Although Washington has criticised Eygi’s killing and a surge of attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank as Israel wages war on Hamas in Gaza, the US has announced no major policy change toward Israel.

The International Court of Justice and most countries say Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank are illegal.

Israel denies this, citing historical and biblical ties to the area.