Biden and Harris question Israeli military's behavior after killing of American protester

Biden and Harris released statements Wednesday morning on the killing of Eygis by Israeli forces in the Israeli-occupied West Bank last Friday. Harris called the event a “horrific tragedy.”

“Aysenur was peacefully protesting in the West Bank – against settlement expansion – when her young life was senselessly ended. No one should be killed for participating in a peaceful protest,” Harris said in a statement. “The shooting that resulted in her death is unacceptable and raises legitimate questions about the conduct of Israeli military personnel in the West Bank. Israel must do more to ensure that incidents like this never happen again.”

The two statements come a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “Israeli security forces must make some fundamental changes in the way they operate in the West Bank, including changing their rules of engagement.” This was the strongest condemnation of Israel's actions yet.

Both Biden and Harris acknowledged the role of Israeli forces in Eygi's death. Biden said he was “outraged and deeply saddened.”

The president also described the shooting as “completely unacceptable.”

“Israel has acknowledged its responsibility for Aysenur's death, and a preliminary investigation has concluded that it was the result of a tragic mistake resulting from an unnecessary escalation,” Biden said in a statement.

Eygi, a 26-year-old Turkish-American, was a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement in the village of Beita. A protest against Israeli settlement expansion was taking place there when the Israeli army dispersed all the demonstrators with live ammunition and tear gas. Only after the demonstrators had fled the scene was Eygi shot dead, according to the ^ “Washington Post: The Secret World”.

The Israeli military launched an investigation into the shooting on Friday, saying in its statement that it was “highly likely that she was hit indirectly and unintentionally by fire from the Israeli military.”

The United Nations also called for an investigation on Friday, but Eygi's family said in a statement that an Israeli investigation was “not sufficient” and called on the United States to launch an independent investigation to “ensure full accountability of those responsible.”

Biden announced that the U.S. government had full access to Israel's investigation into the shooting and claimed he had been in contact with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders. His statement also called for a tougher crackdown on violent Israeli extremists than Harris.

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“There must be comprehensive accountability. And Israel must do more to ensure that incidents like this never happen again,” Biden said in a statement.

“Violence in the West Bank has gone on for too long. Violent extremist Israeli settlers are driving Palestinians from their homes,” he continued. “Palestinian terrorists are sending car bombs to kill civilians. I will continue to support a policy that holds all extremists – Israelis and Palestinians alike – accountable for fomenting violence and creating obstacles to peace.”