FILE - Yellow tape marks bullet holes on a tree and a portrait and flowers create a makeshift memorial, at the site where Palestinian-American Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed in the West Bank city of Jenin, May 19, 2022. Relatives of late journalist Shireen Abu Akleh have met Pope Francis on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022, during his weekly general audience.
ISABEL DEBRE
Tue, November 15, 2022
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's departing Prime Minister Yair Lapid doubled down Tuesday on his government's harsh condemnation of a reported investigation by the United States Department of Justice into the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist, in the occupied West Bank.
A Justice Department spokesman had no comment. There were no details about when an investigation might begin and what it would involve, nor what the ramifications might be. But an FBI probe into the actions of an ally would mark a rare — if not unprecedented — step, threatening to strain close ties between the countries as Israel heads toward the most right-wing government in its history.
After a swearing-in ceremony for Israel's newly elected parliament on Tuesday, Lapid vowed Israel would not participate in an American investigation into the fatal shooting of the prominent 51-year-old Al Jazeera correspondent last May in Jenin, a Palestinian city in the West Bank. Echoing remarks by Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz the day before, Lapid said that Israeli soldiers “will not be investigated by the FBI or by any foreign country or body, however friendly.”
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority welcomed the news and promised to cooperate fully with a U.S. investigation, reflecting how Abu Akleh's case has become a point of contention in competing narratives by Israelis and Palestinians.
“This decision, even if it came late, reflects the birth of an American conviction in the absence of any serious investigation by the Israelis,” the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said. “(Their investigations) are no more than attempts to cover up the criminals.”
Palestinian officials, Abu Akleh’s family and Al Jazeera have accused Israel of intentionally killing Abu Akleh. Several independent investigations, including by The Associated Press, have concluded that Abu Akleh was most probably killed by Israeli fire.
The death of the veteran journalist, who covered the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for a quarter-century, reverberated across the region and drew global outrage, throwing a spotlight on Israeli actions in the West Bank. Abu Akleh's families and supporters, along with 57 Democratic lawmakers, called on the Biden administration to launch a full probe following an inconclusive State Department assessment of the fatal bullet and the equivocal results of an Israeli military investigation.
Abu Akleh's family said it was “encouraged by the news” of an investigation on Tuesday, expressing hope that the U.S. “will use all of the investigative tools at its disposal to get answers about Shireen’s killing and hold those who are responsible for this atrocity accountable.”
A probe “gets our family closer to justice for Shireen,” their statement said.
Israel's critics contend that history has showed that the Israeli military cannot credibly investigate or prosecute itself. Israel says its investigations are independent and professional.
“We will not abandon our soldiers to foreign investigations,” Lapid told the new lawmakers. "Our strong protest has been conveyed to the Americans at the appropriate levels.”
Although Lapid was ousted from office after Israel's Nov. 1 elections, his likely replacement, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will likely maintain the same stance.
Israel initially raised the possibility that Abu Akleh had been killed by a Palestinian gunman during clashes between Israeli soldiers and militants before acknowledging in September there was a “high probability" she was killed mistakenly by an Israeli soldier. Nonetheless, Israel has vigorously denied its troops had intentionally targeted her and ruled out a criminal investigation.
The New Arab Staff & Agencies
15 November, 2022
The family of Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed when covering an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank in May, have said they welcome a recently opened US probe into the journalist's death.
Lina Abu Akleh, the journalist's niece, said it was 'painful beyond words' to think about how her aunt died [source: Getty]
The family of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed by an Israeli soldier, on Tuesday praised a US decision to open a probe into her death.
"This is an important step," a statement from the Palestinian-American family said, adding that US authorities have a responsibility to investigate, "when a US citizen is killed abroad, especially when they were killed, like Shireen, by a foreign military".
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed on Monday that they would open an investigation into the killing.
This follows months of calls from Abu Akleh's family as well as Palestinian solidarity groups and human rights defenders for an independent probe in order to hold the killers accountable.
Several investigations, including one by Palestinian human rights group Al-Haq and Forensic Architecture, have concluded that Akleh was "targeted" by an Israeli sniper.
Israel has said it conducted its own investigation, however, no action has been taken against any Israeli soldier.
Israeli military investigations have long drawn criticism from rights groups and Palestinians who charge that they are not independent or effective, citing a low indictment rate.
The killing of the veteran Al Jazeera reporter took place during an army operation in Jenin refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on May 11.
Israel says it will not cooperate with US investigation into journalist Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing
Akleh was shot dead in the State of Palestine on May 11 while she was covering Israeli raid in Jenin.
Israel said on Monday that it will not cooperate with the United States’ investigation into the killing of the Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh by the Israeli army.
Akleh was allegedly shot in the head on May 11 when she was covering an Israeli raid in Jenin. The city lies in the West Bank, which was captured by the Israeli military in 1967 during the Mideast War
While Al Jazeera had alleged that the Israeli forces deliberately shot Akleh, Tel Aviv denied the claims.
On Monday, the US Justice Department informed its counterpart in Israel that the Federal Bureau of Investigation will investigate Akleh’s killing, reported The Guardian.
The FBI investigation into the killing of the journalist comes after pressure from Akleh’s family and members of the US Congress.
“The decision taken by the US Justice Department to conduct an investigation into the tragic passing of Shireen Abu Akleh, is a mistake,” Israel’s Minister of Defence Benny Gantz tweeted on Monday. “The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] has conducted a professional, independent investigation, which was presented to American officials with whom the details were shared.”
In June, an investigation by the United Nations had concluded that Akleh was not near Palestinian gunfire when she was killed and that Israeli forces were almost certainly responsible. The UN said that Israeli soldiers fired “several single, seemingly well-aimed bullets” at Abu Akleh and other journalists.
The Israeli military had alleged that the Palestinian gunmen were responsible for the journalist’s death. However, in September it admitted that one of its soldiers had probably shot Akleh but said there would be no criminal prosecutions because no laws had been broken and declared the case closed.
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