Aysenur Eygi, a US citizen and American Turkish activist was fatally shot by Israeli forces in the West Bank on September 6. The 26-year-old was protesting alongside several other activists when she was shot in the head in the village of Beita, near Nablus. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was “very likely” that she was struck “unintentionally” by one of their soldiers.
The IDF also claimed that the 26-year-old was shot during a “violent riot” as the army sought out the “key instigator”. But the Washington Post reported that their investigation found Eygi was shot more than a half-hour after the height of the confrontations and “some 20 minutes after protesters had moved down the main road” which was more than 200 yards away from IDF soldiers.
Robert Fantina, an activist and author, joined Sputnik’s Critical Hour to discuss the killing of Eygi as well as the US’ unwavering support of those responsible for her death.
“[Eygi] was about two football fields away from most soldiers. So, someone had to get close enough to her to shoot her. And, she was shot in the head, and the IDF or the government is saying, 'oh, this was accidental.' How do you accidentally shoot someone in the head? Someone who was unarmed and was a significant distance away?” Fantina asked.
“And the only reaction is, ‘please don't do it again?’ And, her family is demanding an independent investigation, which the US isn't interested in doing. US government officials are saying Israel is doing their investigation. ‘They've done it. They have come up with this finding. It was an accident. So, sorry. Close the book on this,’” the analyst explained.
“These are things that are bringing anger against the Zionist state,” Fantina said. “The way to dissipate that anger is to stop doing the things that are making people angry. The way to bring safety and security to Israel is to follow international law. But that isn’t what Netanyahu and his racist government are looking for. They want to own all of what is currently Palestine.”
“And if they have to kill all the Palestinians to do it, they're perfectly happy doing that," he added.
During the presidential debate on Tuesday between US Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, Harris was asked by an ABC News moderator about the “40,000 Palestinians” who are now dead [though, the number is estimated to be higher], and the “nearly 100 hostages” that remain. When asked how she would break the stalemate were she became president, the VP reiterated what she has said in the past.
“Israel has a right to defend itself. We would. And how it does so matters. Because it is also true far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed. Children, mothers. What we know is that this war must end. It must end immediately, and the way it will end is we need a ceasefire deal and we need the hostages out,” Harris repeated.
Yet, the US has failed to secure a ceasefire deal, and continues to treat Israel as one of its top allies. In August, the State Department announced that Washington would provide Israel with $3.5 billion to spend on US weapons and military equipment. But what is most perplexing about Harris’ response is that a pivot to end US support of Israel would allow her to easily win her seat in the Oval Office, as was expressed by an opinion piece published in Common Dreams which cited US voter polls.
“[US politicians are] all looking out for their next election and who's going to finance it. If AIPAC does it, or if AIPAC supports their opposition, as happened to Cory Bush and Jamal Bowman. They lost their primaries because pro-Israeli lobbies sank millions of dollars into their opponents' campaigns. But is this what's important? Is this the reason people are elected to the US Senate and House of Representatives to be reelected?”
“The election between Harris and Trump is said to be very close by all polls. She needs to do something that would differentiate herself in a major way from him,” Fantina explained. “And, by saying that she was going to stop all arms shipments to Israel, unless, until that country stops the genocide, that would be a major shift from Trump. Trump at the debate said that she hates Israel. This is not the case. Obviously, she bows down to Israel like every other, or almost every other politician in the US."
“But, genocide is happening. International laws are being violated in the most obscene ways on a daily basis," he said. "The US is complicit in genocide, and many, many US voters are aware of that. She could clarify for them what she would do to stop US complicity in genocide.”
Iran has not backed down from its promise to retaliate against Israel for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, and Israel does not appear to be backing down from its assault on Palestinian territory – quite the opposite. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have reportedly been expanding their assault on Palestinian territory by increasing violent raids in the occupied West Bank since late August.
Sputnik’s Garland Nixon suggested during the interview that Israel seems to be trying to “pull the US into a war with Iran” which could “destroy the world economy and possibly go nuclear”.
“How and why Iran became this big bad wolf to the US is beyond comprehension. The Iranian government is basically minding its own business. It certainly is supporting its allies, Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, as the US supports its allies,” Fantina explained. “Iran has every right to do that. And yet, it doesn't threaten the US in any way. It doesn't threaten Israel until Israel threatens Iran.”