Al Jazeera journalist was likely killed by Israel fire but not intentionally: US
The US, on Monday (July 4), said that Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Alekh was likely killed by Israeli gunfire but not intentionally. It said that there was no reason to believe her death was intentional.
US State department has said that the US could not make a “definitive conclusion” on the origin of the bullet that killed her on May 11. The bullet was handed over by Palestinian Authority.
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“Ballistic experts determined the bullet was badly damaged, which prevented a clear conclusion,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said after what he called “extremely detailed forensic analysis” with outside examiners.
Abu Alekh’s death had caused a furore. Palestinian Authority called it a war crime. This further prompted angry denials from Israel. US President Joe Biden is due to visit Israel in two weeks.
The US Security Coordinator (USSC), which directs security assistance to the Palestinian Authority in coordination with Israel, said that both sides granted full access to their own probes over the past several weeks.
“By summarizing both investigations, the USSC concluded that gunfire from IDF positions was likely responsible for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh,” the State Department said, referring to the Israeli Defense Forces.
“The USSC found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against factions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad,” it said.
“We will remain engaged with Israel and the PA on next steps and urge accountability. We again offer our deepest condolences to the Abu Akleh family,” said the rare July 4 statement.
(With inputs from agencies)
