‘Israeli whitewash’: US probe into Abu Akleh killing draws wide condemnation

A US probe into the killing of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh that seeks to give Israeli forces a clean chit for the murder, unlike other independent investigations, has drawn wide condemnation from human rights advocates, including Israel's leading human rights group B'Tselem, as well as Palestinian officials.

Abu Akleh, a veteran reporter for the Qatar-based Al Jazeera network, was killed in cold blood by Israeli forces in May while covering their raid at the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.

Her tragic death sent shockwaves across the region, drawing widespread condemnation and outrage against the occupying regime.

The US State Department on Monday said the US Security Coordinator (USSC) had concluded that Abu Akleh was likely killed by “unintentional” gunfire from Israeli positions, but said the independent investigators could not make a "definitive conclusion" on the origin of the bullet that struck her.

B'Tselem denounced the US probe as a “US-backed Israeli whitewash”.

“All investigations published so far conclude that Israel is responsible for the killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh,” the group said in a tweet on Monday.

The previous findings by the Associated Press, CNN, New York Times, and Washington Post, as well as the office of the UN human rights chief, have established the fact that the veteran scribe was murdered by Israeli troops.

Abu Akleh’s family has expressed its disappointment over the conclusions of the US investigation, but vowed to keep fighting for justice.

“With respect to today’s announcement by the State Department — on July 4, no less — that a test of the spent round that killed Shireen Abu Akleh, an American citizen, was inconclusive as to the origin of the gun that fired it, we are incredulous,” the family said in a statement on Monday.

“To say that this investigation, with its total lack of transparency, undefined goals, and support for Israel’s overall position is a disappointment would be an understatement,” the statement reads.

Palestine official: US protecting Israel in journalist killing case, regime must be held responsible

A senior member of the PLO accuses the US of protecting Israel over the killing of veteran journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

PA: US findings contradict facts

The Palestinian Authority (PA) also denounced the US findings, saying they contradict Palestinian and international facts.

“We express our regret that the Israeli government has evaded its responsibilities towards the assassination of Abu Akleh,” PA spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said, urging the US to hold Israel accountable for the murder of Abu Akleh.

“Because the Palestinian and international facts confirm the responsibility of the Israeli army without any doubt," he added.

‘Shameful’

Mai El-Sadany, a human rights lawyer based in Washington called the US report “shameful”.

“Words matter,” El-Sadany said in a tweet.

“Shameful US State Department statement today on the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh which facilitates erasure & impunity with vagueness & distractions – in the face of independent reporting which has already made clear findings, including the presence of no militants near Abu Akleh."

The veteran Palestinian politician Hanan Ashrawi also slammed the report as “disgraceful”.

“Many independent international investigations have concluded that Shireen was killed by an Israeli sniper. Once again, Israeli evasive tactics & lies + American collusion & cover-up combine to maintain Israel’s impunity,” she said in a tweet.

‘Israelis examined bullet, not Americans’

The findings of the US probe come as the Israeli army said Israeli experts rather than American ones examined the bullet extracted from Abu Akleh that was handed over by Palestinian officials to US officials.

US “representatives were present throughout the entire process,” the Israeli military said.

Palestinian officials maintain that Israel cannot be trusted to conduct a fair and transparent probe into the killing.

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