Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced on Sunday that the Palestinian side is preparing to file a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the killing of an American activist of Turkish origin, who was shot dead by Israeli forces in Nablus, in the northern West Bank.
During a phone call with Suad Eji, the father of the activist, to offer condolences, Abbas expressed sorrow over her death and anger at the “oppressive Israeli occupation.” He added, “We are working with American and Turkish authorities for a fair investigation, and preparations are underway to file a complaint with the International Criminal Court over her assassination by Israeli occupation forces,” according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.
The activist, Aysenur Eji (26), succumbed to injuries after being shot in the head by Israeli forces during an anti-settlement protest in the town of Beita, south of Nablus, last Friday.
Her body was returned to Turkey on Friday, and she was buried on Saturday after a funeral prayer at the central mosque in her hometown of Didim, in Turkey’s western Aydın Province.
During the call, which was attended by Turkish Consul General in Jerusalem, Ambassador Ismail Cobanglu, Abbas praised Aysenur for sacrificing her life in defense of justice and solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Abbas announced that the activist would be posthumously awarded the “Jerusalem Star,” one of the highest honors given by the Palestinian Authority, in recognition of her sacrifices for the Palestinian cause. He also invited her family to visit Palestine in her honor.
Following the incident, the Israeli military issued a statement claiming, “During an operation near the village of Beita, the security forces responded with gunfire toward a key agitator who had been throwing stones and posing a threat.”
The army added that it is “examining reports regarding the death of a foreign national in the area and is investigating the circumstances of the incident,” without providing further details.
The killing of the activist, who was volunteering with the “Fazaa” campaign to support and protect Palestinian farmers from settler “violations,” sparked widespread condemnation from both the Palestinian public and officials.
