Vice President Kamala Harris has denounced the killing of American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi by Israeli forces, calling the act "tragic" and "unacceptable."
Al Jazeera reported that the fatal incident occurred in the occupied West Bank on September 6, igniting controversy and prompting scrutiny over the United States' response to the deaths of its citizens at the hands of Israeli forces.
Harris's statement, issued on Wednesday, called for "full accountability" and urged Israel to prevent similar incidents in the future. However, the Vice President stopped short of endorsing the Eygi family's request for an independent investigation into the 26-year-old activist's death.
The response from US officials has been mixed. While Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin described the killing as "unprovoked and unjustified," President Joe Biden suggested it was an accident. Biden stated that the bullet had ricocheted off the ground, leading to Eygi's death.
In a subsequent statement, Biden emphasized the expectation of "full access" to Israel's preliminary investigation. He echoed Harris's call for accountability, stating, "There must be full accountability. And Israel must do more to ensure that incidents like this never happen again."
However, critics have noted that neither Biden nor Harris has committed to seeking consequences for Eygi's killing or backed calls for an independent probe. This stance has drawn criticism from those who argue that Israel should not be allowed to investigate its own potential abuses.
The US administration's response to Eygi's death has been contrasted with its reaction to the killing of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a US citizen who died in captivity after being taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack.
Following Goldberg-Polin's death, top Biden administration officials strongly condemned the killing, and the US Department of Justice announced new "terrorism" charges against Hamas leaders. This disparity in response has led to accusations of inconsistency in how the US handles the deaths of its citizens in the region.
Juliette Majid, a friend of Eygi, expressed disappointment in the administration's approach:
Aysenur and her family deserve justice. As her family continues to mourn, President Biden and Vice President Harris have chosen to defend the foreign military that killed her instead of calling the family to express their condolences. How long must the family wait before the US conducts an independent investigation into the deliberate killing of an American citizen?
The incident has brought attention to the broader context of US-Israel relations. Israel receives billions of dollars in US military aid annually, as well as diplomatic support in international forums.
This support has continued despite several incidents involving the deaths of US citizens at the hands of Israeli forces in recent years.
Critics argue that the US has consistently failed to apply meaningful pressure on Israel in response to these incidents. They point out that while the US has verbally demanded accountability in cases like Eygi's, it has not imposed any penalties on Israel for refusing to open criminal investigations into such deaths.
The killing of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi has reignited debates about the nature of US support for Israel and the accountability of Israeli forces. Vice President Harris and other US officials have condemned the incident, calling it tragic and unacceptable. However, they have not endorsed calls for an independent investigation or committed to seeking consequences for Eygi's death. This response has drawn criticism from those who argue that the US should take a stronger stance in protecting its citizens and ensuring accountability for their deaths in the region.
