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WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said on Wednesday Israel must do more to ensure that incidents like the fatal shooting of an American protester against settlement expansion never happen again, calling her death "totally unacceptable."
In a statement, Biden said that while Israel has taken responsibility for her death, the U.S. government expects continued access as the investigation continues over the circumstances of the shooting.
"There must be full accountability. And Israel must do more to ensure that incidents like this never happen again," Biden said.
Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, who is also a Turkish national, was shot dead last Friday at a protest march in Beita, a village near Nablus where Palestinians have been repeatedly attacked by far-right Jewish settlers. Israel has said her death was accidental.
Biden also decried the violence in the West Bank by "extremist Israeli settlers" and "Palestinian terrorists," one day after top U.S. officials demanded an overhaul of Israeli military conduct in the occupied West Bank.
"I will continue to support policies that hold all extremists — Israelis and Palestinians alike — accountable for stoking violence and serving as obstacles to peace," Biden said.
