The name of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi has become known worldwide in the month following the tragic incident where an Israeli soldier shot the Turkish American activist in the head during a protest against illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. While Eygi’s death received international attention and condemnation, the killing of a 13-year-old Palestinian girl named Bana Laboom on the same day near Nablus went largely unnoticed. The disparity in attention given to Israeli killings of Palestinians and foreigners is not lost on Huwaida Arraf, an American Palestinian activist and co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), the group Eygi was with in Palestine. This double standard is something groups like ISM have been trying to address for years, using their foreign status to bring awareness to Israeli violence and support Palestinians in their resistance against occupation.
Eygi was one of many foreign activists killed by Israel in the last two decades, with little consequence for the soldiers responsible. The Israeli army claimed Eygi’s shooting was unintentional and promised further investigation. Turkey plans to investigate the killing, but the US has rejected calls for an independent probe, deferring to Israel’s investigation. This pattern of impunity has raised concerns among lawmakers in Washington state, where Eygi lived.
Eygi’s death has highlighted the role of international activists in Palestine and their efforts to expose the violence of Israel’s occupation. International solidarity with Palestine has a long history, with left-wing and anti-colonial movements standing with Palestinian resistance since 1948. ISM, along with similar groups, pioneered the strategy of stationing international activists in Palestinian homes targeted by the Israeli military to draw attention to the situation.
Despite the risks and challenges, foreign activists continue to travel to Palestine to show support and solidarity. The deaths of activists like Rachel Corrie, Brian Avery, and others have not deterred them from their mission. Even after the deadly raid on a humanitarian flotilla in 2010, activists remained committed to bringing attention to the plight of Palestinians. Eygi’s tragic death has not stopped others from following in her footsteps and continuing the fight for justice and peace in Palestine.