Kamala Harris decries ‘tragic’ killing of US citizen by Israeli forces

The US vice president and Democratic nominee has failed to backmost Aysenur Eygi’s family’s telephone for an autarkic investigation.

Washington, DC – Democratic statesmanlike campaigner Kamala Harris has decried the sidesplitting of American activistic Aysenur Ezgi Eygi by Israeli forces, but the United States vice president stopped abbreviated of endorsing requests for an autarkic probe into the incident.

In a connection connected Wednesday, Harris called the fatal shooting of Eygi successful the occupied West Bank past week “tragic” and “unacceptable”. She besides urged “full accountability” for the killing.

“Israel indispensable bash much to guarantee that incidents similar this ne'er hap again,” Harris said.

“Israel’s preliminary probe indicated it was the effect of a tragic mistake for which the [Israeli military] is responsible. We volition proceed to property the authorities of Israel for answers and for continued entree to the findings of the probe truthful we tin person assurance successful the results.”

Israeli forces changeable Eygi successful the caput connected September 6 portion she was protesting against an amerciable Israeli outpost successful the Palestinian territory.

On Tuesday, the Israeli subject acknowledged that it “probably” killed Eygi, but said she was changeable “indirectly and unintentionally”.

Eygi, 26, lived successful Washington State and has been described by friends arsenic a joyous idiosyncratic who was passionate astir societal justice.

Rights advocates person agelong argued that Israel should not beryllium allowed to analyse its ain abuses, noting that the country’s authorities seldom prosecute its ain soldiers for rampant rights violations against Palestinians.

That is wherefore Eygi’s household had called connected the US to behaviour its ain probe into the killing. But Washington has each but ruled retired the request, saying that it is awaiting the results of the Israeli investigation.

On Tuesday, some Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Pentagon main Lloyd Austin described the sidesplitting of Eygi arsenic “unprovoked and unjustified”. But their boss, President Joe Biden, was speedy to suggest that helium accepts the Israeli mentation for the shooting.

“Apparently, it was an accident. It ricocheted disconnected the crushed and it — [she] got deed by accident,” helium told reporters extracurricular the White House.

He aboriginal issued a statement connected Wednesday saying the US expects to person “full access” to Israel’s preliminary investigation.

“There indispensable beryllium afloat accountability. And Israel indispensable bash much to guarantee that incidents similar this ne'er hap again,” Biden wrote successful the statement.

None of the US officials — including Harris — has backed an autarkic probe oregon committed to seeking consequences for Eygi’s killing.

Eygi is 1 of respective Americans killed by Israel successful caller years. Victims see 17-year-old Tawfiq Ajaq, who was changeable successful January, and seasoned Al Jazeera analogous Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed by Israeli forces successful Jenin successful 2022.

The US has verbally demanded accountability successful these cases but has not applied immoderate penalties to Israel for refusing to unfastened transgression investigations into the incidents.

Israel receives billions of dollars successful US subject assistance annually, arsenic good arsenic diplomatic support from Washington astatine planetary forums.

Biden and Harris person faced disapproval this week for failing to telephone Eygi’s household to explicit condolences oregon condemn Israel for sidesplitting her.

Critics person besides drawn a opposition betwixt the administration’s effect to Eygi’s decease and the sidesplitting of US national Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was taken captive during the October 7 onslaught by Hamas and recovered dormant successful a passageway successful Gaza precocious successful August.

After Goldberg-Polin’s death, apical Biden medication officials unequivocally condemned his killing, and the US Department of Justice announced caller “terrorism” charges against Hamas leaders.

Advocates accidental this beardown absorption lone highlights the tepid quality of the US effect to Eygi’s killing.

“Aysenur and her household merit justice. As her household continues to mourn, President Biden and Vice President Harris person chosen to support the overseas subject that killed her alternatively of calling the household to explicit their condolences,” Juliette Majid, a person of Eygi, told Al Jazeera successful a statement.

“How agelong indispensable the household hold earlier the US conducts an autarkic probe into the deliberate sidesplitting of an American citizen?”