Killing of Turkish-American activist by Israel not an ‘isolated incident’, says Israeli activist and eyewitness to the shooting

NABLUS, West Bank

The killing of a Turkish-American activist by the Israeli army in the northern occupied West Bank was not an “isolated incident” as Israeli forces have killed nearly a dozen and a half human rights activists in recent years, said an eyewitness who saw the killing of Aysenur Ezgi earlier Friday.

Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi was shot dead by Israeli forces on Friday during a protest against illegal Israeli settlements in the town of Beita in the Nablus district of the occupied West Bank.

Jonathan Pollack, an eyewitness to the murder and an Israeli activist who has participated in protests against illegal Israeli settlements, reported to Anadolu on the events surrounding the killing of 26-year-old Eygi by Israeli soldiers.

❝I was in Beita today when she was shot during clashes following a protest against the Evyatar settlement❞

“It is important for me to say that this is not an isolated case. It is part of the suppression of the Palestinian people's struggle.”

🎙️ Israeli activist Jonathan Pollack … pic.twitter.com/cKyyB7qygm

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) 6 September 2024

He said they were in Beita to protest against illegal Israeli settlements in the town and that people were praying at two locations on land surrounded by soldiers.

“As soon as the prayer ended, clashes broke out between soldiers and the village youth. The soldiers immediately fired tear gas and live ammunition,” he said, adding, “We retreated towards the built-up area of ​​the village, which was about 150 to 200 meters from the soldiers' position.”

Pollack said Israeli soldiers took a strategic position by taking control of the roof of one of the houses.

He added that they remained on the outskirts of the village for about half an hour before he heard two single shots of live ammunition.

These were two separate shots with live ammunition. The first hit a metal object before hitting a young man from the village in the thigh.

After the second shot was fired, people called his name and asked for help, he said.

“I ran backwards into the olive groves and found her lying on the ground under an olive tree, bleeding to death.”

“The soldier had a clear view of her. She was alone with two other international soldiers. I put my hand under her head to stop the bleeding and felt her pulse. She had a very weak pulse.”

They put her in the ambulance and took her to Beita Medical Center. From there, a doctor got into the ambulance and drove her to the hospital.

“It is important for me to say that this is not an isolated incident,” Pollack said, adding that a total of 17 people, all Palestinians, have been killed in demonstrations in Beita since 2021.

“The only reason we're learning about this now is because of the tragic death of an American. But this is not an isolated incident.”

“It is part of Israel's escalation in the West Bank in recent months and it is part of the genocide that Israel is committing in the Gaza Strip.”

He vowed that regardless of the message, they will continue to stand by the Palestinian people in their struggle for liberation.

The Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news offered to AA News Broadcasting System (HAS) subscribers, in a summarized form. Please contact us regarding subscription options.