Özgür Özel's statement on Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi: 'She is the Deniz Gezmiş of this era'

The body of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, a Turkish and US citizen who was shot in the head and killed by an Israeli sniper during a protest against the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank, has been brought to Istanbul by plane.

A ceremony was held for Eygi in front of the VIP terminal at Istanbul Airport. Eygi's body was later taken to İzmir.

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel made a statement following the ceremony for Eygi.

Özel stated, "Ayşenur is the Deniz Gezmiş of this era. Palestine is, in particular, the cause of the Left."

"SHE IS THE DENIZ GEZMİŞ OF TODAY"

Özel said, "We just welcomed Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi. Ayşenur was a sister of ours who lived in America, whose family resides in Didim, whose mother is from Antalya, and whose father is from Denizli," adding, "Ayşenur is the Deniz Gezmiş of today, of this era."

"SHE WAS A HEARTFELT SUPPORTER OF THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE"

Pointing out that Eygi held left-socialist views, Özel stated, "Like all leftists, like all social democrats, she was a heartfelt supporter of the Palestinian cause. Just as the line Bülent Ecevit established with Yasser Arafat in the 1970s determines my line as CHP Chairman, and the line he established with Arafat determines the relationship I have built with Mahmoud Abbas; the stance taken by Deniz Gezmiş and his friends also influences leftist and socialist students in Turkey and all over the world. It determines their stance."

"HE HAD IT TRANSLATED INTO TURKISH FOR DENIZ GEZMİŞ"

Continuing his statement, Özel said, "I had previously expressed that Isa, who was the closest friend of Deniz Gezmiş during his time in Palestinian camps, had sent us a book on his deathbed that he had had translated into Turkish for Deniz Gezmiş, and that it was delivered to us by his son and the head of Palestinian students in Turkey, saying 'greetings to those who follow in the footsteps of Deniz Gezmiş'."

"PALESTINE IS THE CAUSE OF ALL LEFTISTS"

CHP Chairman Özel pointed to his heart and said, "Just as we stood alone behind the Palestinian cause in the 1970s, today, beyond all rhetoric, all attempts to use it for domestic politics, and all attitudes of those who try to portray the Palestinian cause as if it were the cause of a right-wing political view, Palestine is here for all leftists and social democrats."

SHE LOST HER LIFE ON SEPTEMBER 5

Israeli soldiers opened fire on protesters at a demonstration in the West Bank, and human rights activist Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, who also held US citizenship, was shot in the head and seriously wounded during the action.

Eygi, who was taken to a hospital belonging to Palestinians, lost her life on September 6 despite all interventions.

THE BODY WAS BROUGHT THIS MORNING

Following procedures carried out by Turkey's Tel Aviv Embassy and Jerusalem Consulate General, Eygi's body was taken from Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel, to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. The body was brought from Baku to Istanbul this morning on a Turkish Airlines (THY) flight.

SHE WILL BE BURIED IN AYDIN

Eygi's body was received by Ambassador Ayşe Sözen Usluer, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Representative in Istanbul, and several politicians. Following the ceremony, the body was sent from Istanbul Airport to İzmir by plane. Eygi's body will then be taken to Didim, Aydın, to be buried.

News Source: 12punto