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<a class="gmail-domain gmail-reader-domain" href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/shireen-abu-akleh-israel-not-investigate-killing-palestinian-journalist">middleeasteye.net</a>
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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Shireen Abu Akleh: Israel won't investigate killing of Palestinian-American journalist</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">By MEE staff - May 19, 2022<br></div>
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<p>Israeli army says there is 'no suspicion of a criminal act' that would require investigating soldiers as suspects</p>
<p><img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/styles/article_page/public/images-story/Shireen%20Abu%20Akleh%20reporting%20for%20Al%20Jazeera%20news%20channel%20%28Courtesy%20of%20Al%20Jazeera%29.jpg?itok=HNMHPNTY" alt="Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed last week in Jenin, wearing a press vest while reporting for the Al Jazeera news channel (Courtesy: Al Jazeera)" class="gmail-moz-reader-block-img" style="margin-right: 0px;" width="460" height="259">
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<p>Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed last week in Jenin, wearing a press
vest while reporting for the Al Jazeera news channel (Courtesy: Al
Jazeera)</p>
<p><span>Published date:</span> 19 May 2022 12:42 UTC
<span>| </span>
<span>Last update:</span> <span id="gmail-date-updatedago">3 hours 18 mins </span> ago </p>
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<div><p><a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/israel" target="_blank">Israeli </a>military forces are not going to investigate the killing of Palestinian-American journalist <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/topics/shireen-abu-akleh-killing" target="_blank">Shireen Abu Akleh</a>, who was shot dead by Israeli forces while covering a raid in Jenin last week.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israeli-military-will-not-conduct-criminal-probe-into-al-jazeera-reporter-s-death-1.10808866" target="_blank">Haaretz</a>
reported on Tuesday that the Israeli army's Military Police Criminal
Investigation Division, known by its Hebrew acronym, Metzah, is not
planning to probe the killing of the 51-year-old journalist, claiming
that there was no suspicion of a criminal act.</p>
<p>"The main reason for this is that there is no suspicion of a criminal
act: the soldiers testified that they did not see the journalist at all
and aimed their fire at gunmen, who were indeed nearby," Haaretz
reported.</p>
<p>Abu Akleh, a journalist with Al Jazeera, was fatally shot on 11 May
while covering a raid of the Jenin refugee camp by an Israeli commando
unit, the Duvdevan.</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/shireen-abu-akleh-british-mps-call-inquiry-journalists-killing-funeral-attack" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/styles/read_more/public/images-story/2022-05-12T194424Z_1515819409_MT1SIPA000CPLMFB_RTRMADP_3_SIPA-USA.JPG?itok=9zhBvpTs" alt="" class="gmail-moz-reader-block-img" width="400" height="250">
</a></p><p>Shireen Abu Akleh: British MPs call for inquiry over journalist's killing and funeral attack</p>
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<p>Following widespread condemnation of the killing by Palestinian,
American and European figures, Israeli forces issued the results of an
interim investigation, saying they could not determine who fired the
bullet that killed Abu Akleh.</p>
<p>The Israeli report also suggested Palestinian shooters could have been responsible.</p>
<p>But a <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/video/visual-investigation-who-killed-sherine-abu-akleh" target="_blank">visual investigation</a> by
Middle East Eye into Abu Akleh's death, which established the location
of a number of key events on Wednesday, as well as testimony from
witnesses, cast doubt on Israeli claims that the veteran journalist
could have been killed by Palestinian fire.</p>
<p>And eyewitnesses said there was no crossfire at the time, and that Palestinian gunmen were far from the team of six journalists.</p>
<p>Unnamed Israeli officials have also <a href="https://time.com/6176045/israel-response-shireen-abu-akleh-killing/" target="_blank">told journalists</a> that soldiers 150 metres from Abu Akleh repeatedly fired around the time of her death.</p>
<h3>'Incapable or unwilling'</h3>
<p>The Israeli forces rarely investigate incidents in which Palestinian
militants are killed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but have
occasionally investigated the shooting and killing of Palestinian
civilians, despite pressure from far-right parties.</p>
<p>In the case of Abu Akleh, such an investigation would require the
Israeli army to question soldiers as potential suspects in a criminal
probe, which would rile up the military and generate strong opposition. </p>
<p>Yesh Din, an Israel NGO, said army law enforcement mechanisms "no
longer bother to give the appearance of investigating", adding that:</p>
<p>"Eighty percent of the complaints that are submitted are dismissed without a criminal investigation.</p>
<p>It appears that politics and image count for more than truth and
justice. An army that investigates itself in such a serious case as this
again proves that it is incapable or unwilling to undertake a fair and
effective probe."</p>
<p>Last week, the Palestinian Authority rejected holding a joint probe
into the death with Israel, or handing over the fatal bullet for
forensic examination, saying Israel was "completely responsible" for the
journalist's death.</p>
<p>Israeli forces cracked down on Abu Akleh's funeral on Friday,
assaulting mourners carrying her coffin as they left a hospital for a
church in Jerusalem's Old City.</p>
<p>A small group of politicians have called on the US government to investigate Abu Akleh's killing at the hands of Israeli <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/video/visual-investigation-who-killed-sherine-abu-akleh" target="_blank">soldiers</a>, urging the Biden administration to restrict military aid to Israel over the tragedy.</p>
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