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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced yesterday that the Palestinian side is preparing to file a complaint with the International Criminal Court over the killing of an American activist of Turkish origin who was shot dead by the Israeli army in the city of Nablus in the northern West Bank.
Abbas said, during a phone call he made to the father of the activist, Suad Eji, to offer his condolences for her death: “We feel sad about her loss and angry at this usurping occupier. We are working with the American and Turkish authorities to achieve a fair investigation, and we are preparing to file a complaint with the International Criminal Court about the crime of her assassination by the Israeli occupation forces,” according to what was published by the official Palestinian news agency (Wafa).
Aysinur Ezgi Egi, 26, died of an Israeli bullet wound to the head while participating in an anti-settlement demonstration in the town of Beita, south of Nablus, the Friday before last.
The body of the activist was returned to Turkey on Friday, where she was buried yesterday after performing the funeral prayer after the noon prayer at the central mosque in her hometown in the Didim district of Aydin province in the west of the country.
Abbas stressed, during the call in the presence of the Turkish Consul General in Jerusalem, Ambassador Ismail Kobanglu, that Aysinur sacrificed her life while defending the right, justice and solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Abbas decided to award the activist the “Star of Jerusalem Medal,” one of the highest medals recognized by the Palestinian Authority, in appreciation of her great sacrifices in support of the Palestinian people and their right to freedom and independence. He also invited her parents and family to visit Palestine in honor of the spirit of the daughter of Palestine and Turkey.
The Israeli army said in a statement following the incident that “during security forces activity near the village of Beita, the force responded by opening fire towards a main instigator who threw stones at the forces and posed a threat to them.”
He added that “reports of the killing of a foreign citizen in the area are being examined, and the circumstances and details of her injury are being examined,” without providing further details.
The killing of the activist, who was volunteering as part of the “Faz’a” campaign to support and protect Palestinian farmers from settler “violations,” was met with widespread Palestinian popular and official condemnation.
