Blinken says 'fundamental changes' need to be made in way IDF operates in West Bank

US secretary of state's comment is in response to death of US citizen at protest in Palestinian village

Read this article in:

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a joint press conference on Tuesday in London with his British counterpart, David Lammy, calling for changes to Israel Defense Forces (IDF's) rules of engagement after the killing of an American-Turkish citizen in the West Bank last week.

Blinken noted that Aysenur Eygi’s death marked the second instance of a U.S. citizen being killed by Israeli forces, referencing the death of Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in 2022.

“No one should be shot and killed for attending a protest," he said. “I think what we saw of this investigation is it seems to show what eyewitnesses have said and made clear: that her killing was both unprovoked and unjustified.”

Aysenur Ezgi, who was raised in Seattle, was shot during a protest in the West Bank town of Beita on Friday. According to an IDF report released on Tuesday, Israeli troops fired toward “a main instigator” of violence.

“It is highly likely that she was hit indirectly and unintentionally by IDF fire, which was not aimed at her, but aimed at the key instigator of the riot,” IDF sources said.

The incident occurred during a violent demonstration in which dozens of Palestinians burned tires and hurled rocks at security forces, according to the report.

When asked whether the U.S. is satisfied with Israel’s initial assessment of Eygi’s death and if further action is warranted, Blinken stated that "fundamental changes" are needed in how Israeli forces operate in the West Bank.

“We’ve long seen reports of the security forces looking the other way when extremist settlers use violence against Palestinians. We’ve seen reports of excessive force by Israeli security forces against Palestinians. And now we have the second American citizen killed at the hands of Israeli security forces. It’s not acceptable. It has to change. And we’ll be making that clear to the senior-most members of the Israeli government.”

Blinken also urged Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire, a deal in which he says 90% of the details have already been worked out.

However, when asked by Fox News reporters if that assessment is accurate, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated: “No, that’s exactly inaccurate…to go in and make concessions after these murders, it’s a license to kill hostages. That’s what Hamas will understand. Kill hostages, get concessions.”

During the press conference, Blinken also addressed Iran’s reported supply of ballistic missiles to Russia for its war on Ukraine, stating that the U.S. would announce further sanctions later on Tuesday.