Shireen Abu Akleh’s family demands a ‘meaningful action’ against Israel

The family of slain Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank in May, has called for a “meaningful action” against Israel by the Biden administration.

In company with several American lawmakers, the family held a news conference outside the US Capitol on Thursday, where they demanded an independent probe into her cold-blooded murder, Al Jazeera reported.  

Abu Akleh’s relatives stressed that the murdered journalist was an American citizen entitled to the protection of her government.

“We want to know who pulled the trigger, and why,” Victor Abu Akleh, Shireen’s nephew, told reporters.

“And we want there to be accountability for the system that gave the green light, so that other families don’t suffer the way that we have. The reality, of course, is that in Palestine, our family’s grief is not unique. Shireen wasn’t even the first US citizen killed by Israel this year.”

The slain journalist’s brother, Tony Abu Akleh, sought a “meaningful action” from Washington and slammed US President Joe Biden for failing to meet the family during his trip to Israel and the occupied West Bank earlier this month.

“President Biden was 10 minutes away; he never came to see us, so we had to come here to Washington,” he said.

“President Biden still hasn’t agreed to meet us. We need him to hear from us directly, so that he understands the pain our family, and too many other Palestinians, have endured.”

Wearing press attire, 51-year-old Abu Akleh, a dual Palestinian-American citizen, was murdered in cold blood while covering an Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on May 11. Later, her funeral was also attacked by the regime forces.

Western media and leaders have been accused of turning a blind eye to the breach of international law by the apartheid Israeli regime in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Abu Akleh, a dual Palestinian-American citizen, was killed by an Israeli sniper on May 11 while covering a military raid in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.

On July 4, the US State Department concluded its own investigation, finding the Israeli military was “likely responsible” for the shooting.

It, however, said that “ballistic experts determined the bullet was badly damaged, which prevented a clear conclusion," eventually stating that her death was “the result of tragic circumstances.”

Abu Akleh’s family demands independent probe into her murder, US non-committal

The family of slain Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh has renewed calls for an independent probe into her cold-blooded murder.

Eyewitnesses, journalists and rights activists have said there were no armed fighters in the immediate vicinity of Abu Akleh, or any exchange of fire at the time she was killed.

The July 4 statement outraged Abu Akleh's family and Palestinian leaders who said that the United States is not seeking accountability from Israel over the death of the journalist.

Abu Akleh's family unsuccessfully sought to meet Biden when he visited the occupied West Bank earlier this month. Her relatives had called for a meeting with Biden when he visited the occupied West Bank earlier this month, but the US president did not grant their request.

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