ISTANBUL

The US administration’s silence on the killing of Turkish American Aysenur Ezgi Eygi by Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank has drawn criticism for Washington’s handling of Americans killed by Israel.

Palestinian Canadian legal expert Diana Buttu, Anadolu New York correspondent Serife Cetin and Eygi's friend from Washington University, Amelia Ossorio, spoke to Anadolu about the US and UN’s response to the activist’s killing and the legal process.

Buttu, who specializes in international law, criticized the US for accepting Israel’s explanations and taking no action in the cases of Rachel Corrie, journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and Eygi, who were killed by Israel.

"We haven’t seen the full process in Ayşenur’s case yet, but I believe it will end the same way as those of Shireen Abu Akleh and Rachel Corrie. Justice will not be served, the family will receive no resolution and no one will be held accountable for the deaths. This case, like the others, will be swept under the rug,” said Buttu.

She highlighted the US' unwavering support and close relationship with Israel.

"It is important for people to keep in mind that while Israel is doing the bombing and committing the genocide, it is an Israeli-American genocide that is being perpetrated against Palestinians and Gaza. Without the US support, there would be no way to carry out this genocide. How does that support come? It comes in the forms of weapons, it comes in the form of financial support, it comes in the form of diplomatic support, it comes in the form of corporations that are also supporting Israel. And so on all of these levels, we see that while Israel is certainly dropping the bombs, without the US support, that would not be possible," she said.

Buttu criticized the response in the Western media to Eygi’s killing as "utterly pathetic."

"It’s been an utterly, completely, and utterly pathetic response. And it shows that, in the United States, and in the minds of the United States administration, those who support Palestinian lives do not matter. And Palestinian lives don’t matter, and those who support Palestinian lives do not matter,” she added.

’Aysenur Ezgi was not on the UN’s agenda’

Cetin said Anadolu tried to raise Eygi’s killing at the UN:

"The UN spokesperson initially said they had no information on the matter but never followed up. We continued to raise the issue, and the spokesperson later said, 'We already condemned it,' attempting to brush it off. We expected a condemnation statement from the UN from the outset, but unfortunately, only a generic statement was made."

Cetin noted the US' double standards toward its citizens:

"It seems that not all American citizens are treated equally. When Israeli American citizen Hersh Goldberg was killed, the US government reacted swiftly and decisively. We are still trying to understand why the same response wasn’t given for Aysenur’s death. Despite our persistent inquiries, we have only received minimal responses," she said.

Israel committed same murder 20 years ago

Amelia Ossorio, Eygi's friend from Washington University, shared memories of the activist.

"She became emotional the last time I spoke to her about how all we do is watch this terrible tragedy happen at the hands of the Israeli military and government to Palestinians in their land. And she went there hoping to help, and this is what happens. After witnessing Aysenur's death and such genocide, I will never be the same. She is very brave, braver than most of us, braver than all of us and it’s very difficult seeing that 20 years later, Israel and Israeli forces still can get away with murdering those who support Palestinians in their homes. Rachel Corrie had been murdered, helping Palestinian housing in the West Bank and it is such a tragedy,” said Ossorio.

The killing of activist Aysenur Eygi by Israeli soldiers

Israeli soldiers opened fire on demonstrators during a peaceful protest in the occupied West Bank. Eygi, a dual citizen of the US and Türkiye, who was attending the protest in solidarity with Palestinians, was shot in the head and critically injured.

She was taken to a Palestinian hospital where she died Sept. 6. Her funeral took place Sept. 14 in Didim, a district in Aydin, Türkiye.

Eygi was a human rights activist and a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement, which supports Palestinians using peaceful and civil methods against Israel’s occupation. ​​​​​​​

Rachel Corrie, a US citizen and member of the same movement, was also killed by Israeli forces in 2003 when she was crushed by an Israeli bulldozer.

*Writing by Efe Ozkan