Status: 05.07.2022 05:07
In the case of the Al Jazeera reporter who was shot dead in the West Bank, the investigation did not bring any definitive clarity about the perpetrator either. But the investigation should continue.
At the beginning of his statement, Israel’s defense minister once again expressed his condolences to the relatives of the reporter who was shot. Then Benny Gantz summarized the conclusion of the investigation into the bullet that killed Shireen Abu Akleh:
“In this particular case, despite the forensic investigation, it is not possible to come to a clear conclusion. Unfortunately, it is impossible to identify the shooter and therefore the investigation will continue,” he said.
The bullet was too damaged to allow a clear conclusion as to which weapon it was fired from, the Israeli military said. The ballistic examination of the projectile took place under the supervision of experts from the USA. The Palestinian authorities gave them the bullet.
“Tragic Circumstances”
Palestinian Abu Akleh held US citizenship. The US Secretary of State confirmed that the investigation did not provide a clear result on the shooter. In the overall view of all findings, however, it is likely that the fatal shot at the Al-Jazeera reporter was fired by the Israeli army, according to the conclusion of the US experts, who added that there was no reason to assume that the shot was intentional.
Tragic circumstances led to Abu Akleh’s death. When the journalist was shot, she was about 120 meters away from Israeli soldiers and her clothing made her clearly identifiable as a reporter.
The journalist’s relatives are outraged and disappointed with the course of the investigation so far. Lina Abu Akleh, a niece of the Al Jazeera reporter, explained. “We had expected that the perpetrators would be held accountable as part of such an investigation and assumed that the investigation would be transparent and free of political influence. That was not the case.”
Strain on relations with the US
The relatives are demanding independent investigations – by the United Nations and the International Criminal Court. The aim is to clarify without a doubt what exactly happened when the Al Jazeera reporter Abu Akleh, who is well known in the Arab world, wanted to report on an Israeli military operation in Jenin in the West Bank on May 11 and was shot dead in the process.
The Israeli army had not ruled out its own responsibility, but also stated that a Palestinian gunman could have fired the fatal shot.
The Abu Akleh case had become a strain on Israeli-US relations. The US Congress called for a complete investigation into the death of the journalist with a US passport.
Dilemma for Biden
The Israeli journalist Barak Ravid explained in a radio interview that the US government is now trying to get out of a dilemma with the investigation. “It’s an attempt to give both Israel and the Palestinians something by saying on the one hand that it was impossible to determine who killed them and on the other hand implying that Israel was the perpetrator, and third by emphasizing that it was unintentional. On That’s the way they want to clear the case. US President Joe Biden is coming over here next week and the last thing he needs is to hear a word about this case.”
Who shot Shireen Abu Akleh and why? It could be that these questions remain unanswered.