Admin l Tuesday, September 6, 2022
PALESTINE – For the first time since the assassination of Aljazeera journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli Defence Forces has admitted that “there is a high possibility that Ms. Abu Akleh was accidentally hit by IDF gunfire”.
The IDF also said the investigation is conclusive and that it will not go into criminal investigation and that the IDF did not go beyond assignment.
Abu Akleh, a Palestinian- American journalist was killed while covering Israeli raids on Palestinians in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, when she was hit on the forehead even when she was wearing a press vest and crash helmet clearly marked PRESS.
The Israeli soldiers did not stop firing after killing her as her colleagues were equally caught under the gun fire and hit.
Addressing the development, Spokesman for the Department of State Ned Price said the United State welcomes Israel’s review of this tragic incident, and “again underscore the importance of accountability in this case, such as policies and procedures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future”, he said
“Today, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that it had concluded its investigation into the circumstances surrounding Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh’s death, and stated there is a high possibility that Ms. Abu Akleh was accidentally hit by IDF gunfire”, he added.
He said the United States has made it a priority to mitigate and respond to civilian harm caused by military operations and that the Department of Defense recently underscored the need to improve its own assessments and practices to ensure civilian harm mitigation and we will continue to share best practices with our military partners and allies around the world.
“Our thoughts remain with the Abu Akleh family as they grieve this tremendous loss – and with the many others worldwide who brought Shireen and her news reports into their homes for more than two decades.
“Not only was Shireen an American citizen, she was a fearless reporter whose journalism and pursuit of truth earned her the respect of audiences around the world”, Ned Price said.
