Senators urge U.S. role in probe of Al Jazeera journalist’s killing
By Matt Spetalnick
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A gaggle of 24 U.S. senators on Thursday urged President Joe Biden to make sure direct U.S. involvement within the investigation of the killing of an Al Jazeera journalist who was protecting an Israeli raid within the occupied West Financial institution final month.
The lawmakers, all of them Democrats plus two independents, referred to as for “an intensive and clear investigation underneath U.S. auspices” into the taking pictures demise of Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American reporter, in Jenin on Could 11.
Israeli and Palestinians officers have exchanged recriminations over the incident, which has heightened tensions.
“It’s clear that neither of the events on the bottom belief the opposite to conduct a reputable and unbiased investigation,” wrote the lawmakers, led by Senator Chris Van Hollen, in a letter to Biden, who is because of go to Israel in July.
“We imagine the one technique to obtain that purpose is for america to be instantly concerned,” they wrote.
A spokesperson for the White Home Nationwide Safety Council stated america shouldn’t be conducting an official investigation” however urged each side to share proof with one another. “We anticipate full accountability for these accountable,” the spokesperson added.
The Israeli embassy stated Israel carried out an intensive inquiry and “continues to name for an investigation with america in an observer function.”
The Palestinian Authority stated in late Could its investigation confirmed Abu Akleh was shot by an Israeli soldier in a “deliberate homicide.”
Israel denied the accusation.
The Israeli army concluded “except the bullet is handed over, it’s not possible to find out which facet fired the deadly shot,” however the Palestinian Authority has refused to take action, the Israeli embassy stated.
It denied any Israeli soldier “focused a journalist.”
The Israeli military had stated shortly after the incident that Abu Akleh might need been by accident shot by one among its troopers or a Palestinian militant in an trade of gunfire.
(Reporting by Matt Spetalnick; Modifying by Richard Chang and Sandra Maler)
