US lawmakers still pushing for answers in IDF killing of Seattle woman

Federal and state leaders are once again pushing for answers from the U.S. State Department in the death of Ayşenur Eygi, a West Seattle woman who was shot and killed by an Israeli soldier during a protest in the West Bank last September.

In October, U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal urged the State Department to put pressure on the Israeli Defense Force's investigation into Eygi's death. In December, Jayapal and U.S. Senator Patty Murray pushed for a U.S.-led investigation into Eygi's death, as the IDF investigation appeared to conflict with eyewitness reports.

With seemingly no progress made these months later, Jayapal and Murray are now joined by Senators Bernie Sanders, Peter Welch, Chris Van Hollen, Jeff Merkley and Reps. Jim McGovern, Sara Jacobs and Joaquin Castro in calling for answers from the State Department.

What led up to the shooting

The backstory:

Eygi, 26, was part of the International Solidarity Movement, whose members went to a Palestinian region of the West Bank by the city of Nablus, where Israelis have been illegally building state-sanctioned settlements for decades.

During the Sept. 6 protest, eyewitness accounts say Eygi moved from the main group of protesters to an olive tree. Shortly after, she was shot in the head by an IDF sniper.

The shooting also injured a 17-year-old boy.

After the funeral, Eygi's remains were returned to the Turkish coastal town of Didim for burial, per her family's wishes.

The Israeli Defense Force investigation

What they're saying:

A preliminary IDF investigation has said the shooting was accidental.

"[We] found that it is highly likely that she was hit indirectly and unintentionally by [Israeli army] fire which was not aimed at her, but aimed at the key instigator of the riot," Israeli authorities reported in September.

The IDF claims Eygi and other protesters had become violent with Israeli settlers and soldiers, claiming rocks were being thrown. They also claim there was a "key instigator" of the alleged riot.

The response from U.S. lawmakers

What we know:

The U.S. has faced criticism for its tepid response to Eygi's killing, despite its swift condemnation of the death of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin only days prior, including a statement from President Joe Biden.

Jayapal and others issued statements condemning Eygi's killing, and several times over the past few months have pushed for answers from the State Department.

"We are not aware of any evidence that Ayşenur, the teenage boy, or anyone else in her proximity posed any threat to the soldier who shot her, or to anyone else," reads their most recent letter. "We understand the Israel Defense Forces is investigating this shooting, but a preliminary report released on September 10, 2024, which was reportedly based entirely on information provided by Israel Defense Forces soldiers, asserted that Ayşenur was hit ‘indirectly and unintentionally by Israel Defense Forces fire, which was not aimed at her, but aimed at the key instigator of the riot.’"

Eygi's family met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Dec. 16, and said they believe the government is turning a blind eye to what happened.

However, they said they were a little more hopeful after meeting with senators and representatives.

"Detailed statements of international, Israeli, and Palestinian eyewitnesses, as well as a Washington Post inquiry that included interviewing 13 eyewitnesses and reviewing more than 50 videos and photographs, describe a significantly different sequence of events, which occurred far from the illegal Evyatar outpost," reads the letter.

What answers are lawmakers looking for?

What's next:

Lawmakers are pushing for answers to the following seven questions:

  1. What evidence, if any, is the Administration currently aware of that Ayşenur posed a threat to the soldier, or to anyone else, when the soldier fired the shots?
  2. What evidence, if any, is the Administration currently aware of that the soldier who shot her was not aiming at her?
  3. What evidence, if any, is the Administration currently aware of that the teenage boy who was injured posed a threat to the soldier, or to anyone else, when the soldier fired the shots?
  4. What IDF unit was the soldier assigned to?
  5. Who was the "key instigator" and where was he (or she) located when the soldier fired the shots?
  6. What evidence, if any, is the Administration currently aware of that the "key instigator" posed a threat to the soldier, or to anyone else, when the soldier fired the shots?
  7. Have you requested the Department of Justice to investigate Ayşenur’s case? If not, why not? If so, is an investigation underway?

The Source: Original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle, with a joint statement provided by Murray and Jayapal's offices.

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