Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi was killed by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, where she had traveled to support Palestine against the Israeli occupation.
The autopsy report proved that an Israeli sniper killed Eygi. In other words, she was killed by male state violence. She was 26 years old, defending peace.
She just wanted to show solidarity with the people whose pain she felt, to observe and record war and crimes against humanity on the spot.
We have seen throughout history that no cruel, occupying or expansionist state wants its crimes to be recorded.
Just like China's oppression of the freedom-seeking Tibetans.
Like the war crimes committed by Mexico against the Zapatistas, who put up a tremendous resistance against them.
Or the cover-up of the atrocities committed by France during the Algerian War of Independence from 1954 to 1962.
Likewise, the atrocities committed by the British Empire against the Indians during the war of independence.
Or what happened to Kurds who were killed in the streets for speaking their mother tongue, and how the perpetrators are often left unpunished.
'They shot with live bullets'
Today I talked to Rob Sadler, a friend of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi. He tells me that Ayşenur is a fair-minded person between these conflicting sides, that she is on the side of the Palestinian people and that she wants to record the Israeli Genocide.
Ayşenur was a Turkish and American dual citizen, double majoring in psychology and Middle Eastern Languages at the University of Washington. She attended her graduation ceremony this summer wearing a Palestinian flag with the words “Free Palestine” and a keffiyeh. Eygi, who graduated from the Department of Psychology, was also one of the organizers of the Gaza Camp at the university.
On the morning of Friday, Sep 6, she and her friends attended a Palestinian prayer event in the West Bank, organized by the International Solidarity Movement in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
The site is regularly attacked by the Israeli army and 17 Palestinians have been killed there before.
As Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi and her friends, who identify themselves as human rights volunteers, were leaving the area with the worshippers, the Israeli army immediately started using tear gas against the crowd. Moreover, there were snipers on the rooftops. The snipers started firing live bullets at both the Palestinians and the Solidarity Volunteers.
What happened next?
We hear from his friend Rob Sadler, who survived the attack:
“We ran down the hill and took shelter in an olive grove. The army stayed up the hill, about 200 meters away from us, and Ayşenur, along with another volunteer, stood in the olive grove, well away from the road, doing nothing. There was silence for a few minutes. Suddenly there were a few more shots and as we retreated deeper into the olive grove, I heard another volunteer calling for help. I saw Ayşenur on the ground, covered in blood, shot in the head by a sniper. We called for paramedics, put her in an ambulance and left the area to find a taxi to Nablus Hospital. Ayşenur died soon after.”
'She was a staunch supporter of the Palestinian people'
Rob is angry about the attack, but he hides it and wants people to know who Ayşenur was. We speak half in English and half in Turkish:
"Ayşenur came to observe Israel's war crimes and ethnic cleansing against Palestinians and to mobilize the international community. That is why Israel killed Ayşenur.”
He says that he and his friends will fight for Palestine in Ayşenur's place too:
“Ayşenur made the ultimate sacrifice, her name will live forever. In memory of Ayşe and all the international and Palestinian martyrs, we will continue to work until Palestine is free.”
“As a British citizen, I call on the UK government to immediately halt all arms sales to Israel and fully support the efforts of international courts to bring Israel to justice for war crimes and genocide.”
“This is a heartbreaking loss for all of us. Ayşe was an incredible person and did so much for humanity. Although I only knew her briefly, I am sure she was a great friend and a staunch supporter of the Palestinian people. We will not forgive Israel for killing her and we will continue to work on her behalf.”
Olive tree planted in her memory
Today, international volunteers and those who knew Ayşenur at the site of her murder organized a special commemoration ceremony in Ramallah. They pledged to honor her struggle and sacrifice and to ensure that her memory lives on, and an olive tree was planted in her memory.
At the same time, other volunteers traveled to the West Bank where Ayşenur was killed and placed a memorial plaque under the olive tree where she was shot by sniper fire.
Even though death is a bit of a break for those left behind, it is certain that after a while the routine returns, or has to return.
After Ayşenur's death, her schoolmates and comrades with whom she shared the same views may not remember her as much as they used to...
I am sure that only his family will never forget him. And, of course, the Palestinian people, for whom he tried to stand by without fear, without fear, without calculating what would happen to him, will never forget him.
Who knows, maybe every time the olive trees in Palestine blossom, he will smile at the earth again...
Let's have a free equal new week! (EMK/VK)