On September 6, 26-year old Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi was killed by Israeli troops. Ayşenur, along with other members of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), were attending a Friday prayer with Palestinians in the West Bank when Israeli troops attacked them. Israeli troops surrounded the group and threw teargas and live ammunition. Upon seeing the troops arrive, Ayşenur and others took cover in the olive grove nearby. Ayşenur was tragically shot in the head and another activist was shot in the leg.
Ayşenur unfortunately succumbed to her injuries and passed away at the hospital. Despite reports that Palestinians and protestors threw stones at the Israeli troops, eyewitnesses ensure that there were no confrontations prior to the shots. Ayşenur’s family has since called for an independent investigation into her death. Her family has called on the Biden administration to look into her death but has not received much support from the administration besides a letter stating there are terrorists on both sides. Only recently on September 25, did 103 members of Congress demand an independent investigation into her death. Meanwhile, Palestinians in the West Bank honored Ayşenur in a procession where she was carried by Palestinians and her body was covered in the Palestinian flag and a keffiyeh.
Ayşenur’s death is not the first time an American activist is killed by the Israeli Occupation Force (IOF). Her death has brought back into discussion the death of Rachel Corrie, an activist also with the ISM who was bulldozed over by Israeli forces in 2006. Other Americans have also given their lives in support of the Palestinian cause like Aaron Bushnell, and most recently Matt Nelson, Americans who self-immolated to bring awareness of Israel’s terrorist crimes.
Ayşenur’s death is a stark reminder of Israel’s inhumanity. She was a young person who loved her family and friends, who enjoyed cooking for her loved ones, who loved plants, and was said to make the best Turkish coffee. It was because of her love and empathy for others that she advocated for Palestinians. She took part in organizing the University of Washington’s encampment and graduation action and traveled to the West Bank in her final days to continue fighting for Palestinian liberation. We must not forget her and the thousands of Palestinian martyrs who have died because of Israel’s cruelty enabled by the United States. Ayşenur’s family leaves us with the following message:
“Like the olive tree she lay beneath where she took her last breaths, Ayşenur was strong, beautiful, and nourishing.”
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