TEL AVIV — A US-sponsored analysis of forensic and ballistics evidence, as well as separate Israeli and Palestinian investigations, has found that the bullet that killed Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh likely came from an Israeli soldier, but added that it “did not there was reason to believe this was intentional,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said Monday. Price said investigators concluded that the bullet that struck Abu Aqleh — a longtime Al Jazeera news correspondent who was shot on May 11 while covering an Israeli military raid in the West Bank city of Jenin — “suffered severe damage,” preventing “a clear conclusion.” The statement drew angry reactions from her family and Palestinian officials. The Palestinian Authority handed over the bullet to the US security coordinator on Saturday, responding to a long-standing Israeli request. Since the incident, Israel has claimed that without the bullet, it could not determine whether Abu Akleh had been shot by an Israeli weapon or by weapons from armed Palestinians in the area at the time of the shooting. How Shireen Abu Akleh was killed “The USSC found no reason to believe this was intentional, but rather the result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against Palestinian Islamic Jihad factions on May 11, 2022, in Jenin, which followed a series of terrorist attacks in Israel. “, the statement said, referring to a series of Palestinian attacks in Israel in recent months, in which several of the perpetrators came from Jenin and the surrounding area. Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said that “the IDF investigation was unable to determine who was responsible for the tragic death of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, but was able to definitively determine that there was no intent to harm her. Israel mourns her death.” IDF spokesman Ran Kochav said on the day of Abu Akleh’s killing that it was “likely” she was killed by armed Palestinians before the army later backtracked and admitted it was possible an Israeli sniper was responsible. The investigation, which the Israeli military said has stalled because of the Palestinians’ refusal to move the bullet, was on display during President Biden’s July 13-16 visit to the Middle East, his first as president. Abu Akleh’s killing has sparked outrage and cast an international spotlight on what Palestinians and human rights activists have called a years-long policy of impunity by Israel’s military. Murdered journalist’s brother calls for US help to hold Israel accountable Palestinian officials immediately called Shireen’s killing “murder.” Last month, the Palestinian Authority released the results of its own investigation and said it found he was killed by a 5.56mm round fired from a Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic rifle, although it did not say whether that model was used by one or the two. sides — which exchanged fire on the morning of Abu Akleh’s murder. In response to the State Department announcement, Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee, told the Palestinian News Agency that officials believed the United States was trying to protect Israel. He said that, in the absence of American support, the Palestinian Authority would continue to pursue the case at the International Criminal Court, based in The Hague. “We will not allow attempts to hide the truth or embarrassing references to point the finger of blame at Israel,” al-Sheikh said. The Israeli group B’Tselem, which documents Israeli violations in the Palestinian territories, said in a statement that “the chances that those responsible for the murder of Shireen Abu Akleh will be held to account are almost non-existent.” UN rights body says Israeli soldiers kill American journalist in West Bank On June 24, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said Israel was the most likely source of the bullet that killed Abu Akleh. The UN findings — along with investigations published by The Post, the New York Times, the Associated Press, CNN and the investigative group Bellingcat — added impetus to growing calls for the United States to push more publicly for a thorough and transparent research. In June, 24 senators called on the United States to “immediately engage in the investigation” of the case, while Abu Akleh’s brother, Anton, said America should fully take over from the Israeli military. “Focusing on the bullet has always been misplaced and was an attempt by the Israelis to spin the narrative in their favor,” a statement from the Abu Akleh family said. The statement said the family hoped, and still hopes, that the FBI or another US authority would consider Abu Akleh’s death as grounds for a “murder investigation”.
