US Secretary of State Calls for Review of Israeli Military Conduct in West Bank

On Tuesday, September 20, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the fatal shooting of a Turkish-American protester by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank and called for a review of Israel's military behavior in the region. Last Friday, media reported the killing of 'Aysunur Azgi Egi', a Turkish-American, during protests in Beita, near Nablus, by Israeli soldiers. The Israeli army announced on Tuesday that preliminary investigations indicate that his death was unintentional. In his statements on Tuesday, Antony Blinken described Egi's death as 'unjustified and inexplicable' and stated that Washington would urge the Israeli government to make changes in how its forces operate in the West Bank. While in London, he told reporters, 'No one should be shot and killed for participating in a protest. No one's life should be put at risk simply for expressing their views freely. From our perspective, Israeli security forces need to implement some fundamental changes in their operations in the West Bank, including changes in their engagement rules.' John Kirby, the White House National Security spokesperson, also commented on the killing of the Turkish-American, stating, 'We are closely examining this issue to ensure accountability.' Meanwhile, the Israeli army, following initial investigations into Egi's death, stated in a release that he was not the intended target but was mistakenly shot instead of another individual who was the 'main instigator of the riot.' The statement noted, 'This incident occurred during a violent riot in which dozens of Palestinian suspects burned tires and attacked security forces at the Beita intersection.' The increase in violent attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank in recent months has sparked anger among Israel's Western allies, including the United States, leading to sanctions against some Israelis involved in the extremist settler movement. These tensions have escalated amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza, which began on October 7 of last year following an attack by this Islamist group on Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the capture of 250 others. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for unity among Islamic countries against Israel. The family of the Turkish-American citizen killed in the West Bank has called for an independent investigation into the incident.