STORY: A dual U.S.-Turkish citizen taking part in a protest against settlement expansion in the Israeli-occupied West Bank died of her wounds on Friday (September 6) after being shot in the head by Israeli troops, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
Both the U.S. State Department and Turkey’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the death of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi. The Turkish ministry said she was killed by Israeli soldiers and described the incident as a “murder carried out by the (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu government”.
The Israeli military said it was looking into the report.
WAFA said the incident occurred during a regular protest march by activists in Beita, a town near the city of Nablus that has seen repeated attacks by nationalist Jewish settlers.
An Israeli activist and friend of the victim, Ran Naouz, who was also at the protest, said he heard gunfire and turned around to see that Aysenur, whom he called Ayla, was shot in the head.
A rise in violent attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian villages in the West Bank has caused growing anger among Western allies of Israel, including the United States, which has imposed sanctions on a number of individuals.
Several weeks ago around 100 settlers attacked the village of Jit, in the northern West Bank, drawing worldwide condemnation and an Israeli government promise of swift action against anyone found guilty of violence.
Palestinians and human rights groups regularly accuse Israeli forces of standing by as attacks take place and even joining in themselves
