The US government on Tuesday ruled out demanding criminal responsibility for the murder of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, saying the Israeli army shot that killed her was unintentional.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price explained that when the US calls for responsibility for Abu Akleh’s death, it means urging Israel to review its policies so that “the situation does not repeat itself.”
“We are not seeking a criminal case, because the American and Israeli investigations have concluded that it was not an intentional murder. It was the tragic result of a shooting during an Israeli attack in the West Bank,” Price said at a news conference.
Ned Price also assured that the United States is speaking with the Israeli government about “the importance of protecting the lives of the civilian population, including journalists” during military operations.
The US Department of Defense recently updated its protocols to prevent collateral damage caused by the Armed Forces and urged governments around the world to do the same, including Israel, the spokesman added.
The Israeli army admitted last week that it “accidentally” shot Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who died on May 11 after being shot in the head, but refused to open a criminal investigation.
According to the Israeli army, which reported the results of the investigation of the incident recorded after a military incursion into the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, the Israeli troops “acted correctly” when “they faced the fire of Palestinian militias” .
“It has been decided not to open a criminal investigation into this case,” said an Israeli military spokesman speaking about the incident that led to the death of the Al Jazeera journalist, who was reporting at the scene.
This version is contradicted by witnesses present on the ground, several “media” investigations or videos of the verified events, where there is no evidence of the presence of Palestinian militiamen in the area, nor that the troops were shot in the minutes prior to the lethal shot that killed to the journalist.
The journalist’s family said they were “hurt, frustrated and disappointed” by Israel’s decision not to open a criminal investigation, while the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) accused Israel of “evading responsibility for this murder.”
Last week, the United States had emphasized the need for accountability in the case of Shireen Abu Akleh’s death, noting the importance of adopting “policies and procedures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.”
Source: TSF
