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 says it will not cooperate with US investigation into journalist Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing](https://sc0.blr1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/article/176250-irshalsblg-1656127393.jpg)
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.”
I have delivered a message to US representatives that we stand by the IDF’s soldiers, that we will not cooperate with an external investigation, and will not enable intervention to internal investigations.
— בני גנץ - Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) November 14, 2022
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.
This is an overdue but necessary and important step in the pursuit of justice and accountability in the shooting death of American citizen and journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh. https://t.co/2XMKeRVbRu
— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) November 14, 2022