US President Joe Biden released a statement on Wednesday condemning the death of US citizen Aysenur Eygi during a violent Arab riot in Samaria.
"I am outraged and deeply saddened by the death of Aysenur Eygi. Aysenur was a recent US college graduate. She was also an activist whose idealism led her to travel to the West Bank to peacefully protest the expansion of settlements. The shooting that led to her death is totally unacceptable," the President wrote.
He noted: "Israel has acknowledged its responsibility for Aysenur’s death, and a preliminary investigation has indicated that it was the result of a tragic error resulting from an unnecessary escalation. The US government has had full access to Israel’s preliminary investigation and expects continued access as the investigation continues so that we can have confidence in the result. We will continue to stay in close contact with Israeli and Palestinian authorities regarding the circumstances that led to Aysenur’s death."
Biden added: "There must be full accountability. And Israel must do more to ensure that incidents like this never happen again.
"The violence in the West Bank has been going on for too long. Violent extremist Israeli settlers are uprooting Palestinians from their homes. Palestinian terrorists are sending car bombs to kill civilians. I will continue to support policies that hold all extremists – Israelis and Palestinians alike – accountable for stoking violence and serving as obstacles to peace," he concluded.
The IDF on Tuesday released the findings of its inquiry into the incident in which Eygi was killed.
The inquiry found that it is highly likely that she was hit indirectly and unintentionally by IDF fire which was not aimed at her but at the key instigator of the riot. The incident took place during a violent riot in which dozens of Palestinian suspects burned tires and hurled rocks toward security forces at the Beita Junction.
Following the incident, an investigation was launched by the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division (MPCID). The findings will be submitted for review by the Military Advocate General’s Corps upon its conclusion.
Israel has sent a request to carry out an autopsy.
"The IDF expresses its deepest regret over the death of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi," the IDF stated.