The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed U.S. Representative Adam Smith (D-WA) and 102 of his Democratic colleagues from the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate congressional letter calling on the U.S. government to “independently investigate” whether the Israeli military’s murder of Turkish American Muslim Aysenur Ezgi Eygi on September 6 was a “homicide.”
Following Ms. Eygi’s killing, CAIR immediately sent a letter calling on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate and prosecute the Israeli soldiers and officials responsible. CAIR also urged accountability for violent crimes committed by Israeli citizens against other Palestinian Americans, including the killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
In a statement, CAIR Director of Government Affairs Department Robert S. McCaw said:
“We commend Representative Adam Smith and his 102 congressional colleagues for demanding what should have been an immediate and unequivocal response from the U.S. government – a full, independent investigation into Israel’s cold-blooded killing of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi. It is unacceptable that American citizens are being murdered and attacked by the Israeli military and violent illegal settlers with impunity, while the Biden-Harris administration has thus far failed to hold Israel accountable.
“CAIR has consistently called on the U.S. government to take decisive action – ending the endless cycle of allowing Israel to investigate and absolve itself while misleading the American government and people. It’s time for the DOJ, FBI, and Department of State to investigate these blatant Israeli acts of violence targeting American citizens. We demand justice for Ms. Eygi and for all Americans who have been murdered by Israeli forces for simply being Palestinian or supporting Palestinian human rights.”
CAIR notes that AJP Action held its 10th Annual Palestine Advocacy Days yesterday and that promoting congressional support for the letter was one of its top priorities.
ABOUT THE LETTER
The lawmakers’ letter questions the Israeli military’s preliminary investigation, timeline, and conflicting witness reports, which CAIR believes suggest an intentional effort by the Israeli government to cover up the fact that Israeli soldiers deliberately shot Ms. Eygi in the head without provocation while she was protesting illegal Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank.
The letter, addressed to President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and copied to FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, demands an independent inquiry into Eygi’s death, states in part:
“We are deeply disturbed by the Israeli Defense Forces’ (IDF) preliminary investigation, which found it ‘highly likely’ that Ms. Eygi was ‘indirectly and unintentionally’ hit by IDF fire during a ‘violent riot.’ This contradicts credible, independent eyewitness accounts that suggest the shooting was intentional and without provocation. A Washington Post investigation, based on eyewitness interviews, photos, videos, and West Bank residents’ testimonies, indicates the shooting occurred ‘more than a half-hour after the height of confrontations in Beita, and some 20 minutes after protesters had moved down the main road — more than 200 yards away from Israeli forces.'”
“Given this evidence, we believe the United States must independently investigate whether this was a homicide. Failing to pursue further inquiry would give Israeli forces unacceptable impunity. There must be accountability for Ms. Eygi’s death. We therefore call on the White House, the State Department, and the Department of Justice to lead an independent, thorough, credible, and transparent investigation. This investigation should include all evidence and a detailed report of the findings provided to Ms. Eygi’s family.”
Led by Rep. Adam Smith, the letter was signed by 102 of his colleagues in the House and Senate, which included:
Endorsing U.S. Representatives: Rep. Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (D-NC), Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT), Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Rep. Donald S. Beyer Jr. (D-VA), Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Rep. Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (D-NY), Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA), Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA),Rep. André Carson (D-IN), Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX), Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL), Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA), Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Rep. Sharice L. Davids (D-KS), Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Rep. Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA), Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA), Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM), Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL), Rep. Rep Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL), Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA), Rep. Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX), Rep. Al Green (D-TX), Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), Rep. Val Hoyle (D-OR), Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL), Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Rep. Jonathan L. Jackson (D-IL), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), Rep. Daniel T. Kildee (D-MI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Summer L. Lee (D-PA), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Rep. Jennifer L. McClellan (D-VA), Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN), Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-KY), Rep. James P. McGovern (D-MA), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Rep. Gwen S. Moore (D-WI), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Rep. Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. Terri A. Sewell (D-AL), Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), Rep. Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-WA), Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Rep. Paul D. Tonko (D-NY), Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA), Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), and Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA).
Endorsing U.S. Senators: Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Sen. Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-OR), Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT)
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com