Spokane activists hold vigil for Washington resident killed by Israeli military in West Bank

Three months ago, student activist Ayşenur Eygi graduated from the University of Washington. Last week, she was killed by the Israeli military while protesting on behalf of Palestinians in the West Bank.

Raising Palestinian flags and pictures of the slain 26-year-old, local activists gathered Thursday in Riverfront Park to mourn the loss of her life.

Gonzaga University student Juliana Maucione said she saw “so many painful connections” between herself and Eygi.

“I see the murder of Ayşenur as not a distant tragedy, but as a reflection of state violence here and abroad. And while these powers can kill her, they cannot and will not kill the movement of youth that she stood with who refused to accept this as our reality,” she said.

During a demonstration against Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land on the morning of Sept. 6, Eygi was killed by Israel Defense Forces. The shooting took place near Beita in the West Bank, away from the primary conflict in the nation since last year’s Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack in Israel that killed 1,200 people and led to the abduction of 250 people.

As of the start of this week, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the outset of the war, according to Gaza’s Health Agency, whose figures are used by the United Nations and major news outlets in the United States. More than 500 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the conflict began.

Gonzaga University Sociology Professor Andrea Bower described Israel’s actions as a genocide.

“As a close friend of many of ours who traveled with Ayşenur to Palestine expressed as they watched the prayers and condolences and tears across the world, ‘I want more. I want the world to be revolting.’ It is, of course, not nearly sufficient to grieve and pray, but for many of us, it felt important to gather collectively with our grief in this moment, out of respect for Ayşenur and her family.”

Bower said Eygi’s death should be a call to action for more protests against Israel’s actions in Palestine.

“Ayşenur advocated that root, transformative change would only come through collective, disruptive movements. She organized and participated in walkouts, occupations, blockades, mass protests and strikes,” Brower said. “Ayşenur loved big, and loving the world put her into confrontation with oppression.”

Reached for a statement, local pro-Israeli advocacy organization Inland Empire for Israel said “every death is a tragedy” and accused vigil organizers of ignoring victims of the Oct. 7 attack, including a former UW student.

“Its unfortunate PJALS didn’t have the same sympathy for another UW student, Hayim Katzman, who was murdered by Hamas on October 7th while shielding others with his body.  Do they not think his life was just as valuable?” asked Inland Empire for Israel board member Juliet Barenti.

Local Peace and Justice Action League activists have “decided to align themselves with those fighting for the terrorists,” which Barenti said will “never bring peace.”

Since Eygi’s death, the Israeli military has claimed she was likely shot “indirectly and unintentionally” by gunfire aimed at “the key instigator” of what Israel calls a riot.

A Washington Post investigation into her death disputes Israel’s account – finding violence ended and protesters retreated before Eygi was killed.

The American activist was in the West Bank as an International Solidarity Movement volunteer. In a statement following Eygi’s death, the pro-Palestinian activist group claimed the IDF “intentionally shot and killed” the 26-year-old.

“Neither she, nor anyone else could have possibly been perceived as posing any threat. She was murdered in cold blood,” the International Solidarity Movement statement reads.

In a statement, President Joe Biden called the killing “totally unacceptable.” The United States government has “full access” to Israel’s preliminary investigation.

“There must be full accountability. And Israel must do more to ensure that incidents like this never happen again,” Biden said.

Washington Democratic Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, as well as Representative Pramila Jayapal, have called on the Biden administration to conduct an independent U.S.-led investigation into Eygi’s death.

“We fear that if this pattern of impunity does not end with Ms. Eygi, it will only continue to escalate. It is imperative that the United States take concrete and decisive action to better protect American citizens,” they said in a joint statement.

Vice President Kamala Harris has said “no one should be killed for participating in a peaceful protest.”

“The shooting that led to her death is unacceptable and raises legitimate questions about the conduct of IDF personnel in the West Bank. Israel must do more to ensure that incidents like this never happen again,” Harris has said.

In a statement read at the vigil, Eygi’s family also called for an independent investigation.

“A U.S. citizen, Ayşenur was peacefully standing for justice when she was killed by a bullet that video shows came from an Israeli military shooter,” the statement read. “An Israeli investigation is not adequate. We call on President Biden, Vice President Harris and Secretary of State (Antony) Blinken to order an independent investigation into the unlawful killing of a U.S. citizen and to ensure full accountability for the guilty party.”

Eygi is not the first Washington activist killed by Israeli forces. In 2003, Washington state resident and activist Rachel Corrie was killed by an Israeli armored bulldozer in Gaza. Spokane Jewish Voice for Peace activist Bill All remembered Corrie and had seen her speak in the weeks before her death more than 20 years ago.

“I’m heartbroken that in 20 years nothing has changed. Maybe both of these incidents were accidents. But both cases are a result of the unwillingness of the Israeli government and army to see the human beings in front of them,” he said. “In that case, it was a bulldozer. In this case, it was a bullet. Both of them should be here now.”

Editor’s note: This article was updated on Sept. 13, 2024 to include more of Gonzaga University Sociology Professor Andrea Bower’s speech and Juliet Barenti’s statement to add more context.