Erdogan Condemns Killing of Turkish-American Activist by Israeli Forces

Istanbul, The Gulf Observer: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has strongly condemned Israel for what he called the “heinous” killing of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a Turkish-American activist who was shot dead by Israeli forces during a protest in the occupied West Bank. Eygi was participating in a demonstration against settlement expansion in the town of Beita, near Nablus, when she was killed on Friday.

Speaking at an event in Istanbul on Saturday, Erdogan denounced the killing as part of a broader campaign of violence against Palestinians. He accused Israel of committing genocide in both the West Bank and Gaza, with the aim of occupying these territories.

“Yesterday, they (Israel) heinously murdered our young child, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi. To date, they have killed over 40,000 innocent civilians, including 17,000 children,” Erdogan stated. “They attack barbarically and shed blood indiscriminately, whether it be children, women, youth, or the elderly.”

An autopsy confirmed that Eygi had been killed by a sniper’s bullet to the head, according to Nablus Governor Ghassan Daghlas.

Erdogan framed Israel’s actions as state terrorism, emphasizing that resisting these actions is both an Islamic duty and a national cause. He underscored that the conflict in Gaza is not solely a Palestinian issue but a wider struggle between expansionist Zionism and Muslims defending their homeland.

The Turkish president warned of Israel’s broader ambitions, stating that its current actions will not stop with Gaza and the West Bank. “Lebanon and Syria will be next… They will covet our homeland territories between the Tigris and the Euphrates,” Erdogan warned.

He also pointed out that Hamas’s struggle is not limited to Gaza but represents a broader defense of Islamic lands, including Türkiye. Erdogan urged all Islamic nations to adopt a unified stance against what he described as the uncertain extent of Israeli occupation.

In addition, Erdogan mentioned Türkiye’s new diplomatic initiative with Egypt, which he said is aimed at bringing tangible benefits to Gaza and Palestine.

This latest statement from Erdogan comes amid escalating violence in the region, drawing attention to the complex geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East.