U.S. President Joe Biden has strongly condemned the killing of an American activist by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank. The incident occurred during a protest on September 6th, where a Turkish American activist, Aishanor Egi, was shot and killed. Initially, President Biden described the incident as an accident, suggesting that the gunfire may have ricocheted. However, an initial investigation by the Israeli military has prompted a more forceful response from the Biden administration.
President Biden expressed his outrage and deep sadness over Egi's death, calling the shooting 'totally unacceptable.' He demanded full accountability and urged Israel to take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Vice President Kamala Harris also criticized the shooting, raising concerns about the conduct of the Israeli military in the West Bank.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken went a step further, stating that the Israeli security forces must make fundamental changes to their rules of engagement. Despite calls from the activist's family for an independent investigation, the Biden administration has not yet agreed to this request.
The Israeli military's initial investigation claimed that the shot was not aimed at the activist but at a 'key instigator of a violent riot,' without specifying the individual. However, this explanation has been rejected by the family, who continues to push for an independent inquiry into the incident.
