JERUSALEM: The US Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the fatal shooting of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, Israel confirmed Monday, condemning the probe as a “grave mistake” and vowing not to cooperate.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz made the statement on Twitter, saying Israel has made it clear to the US “that we won’t cooperate with any external investigation.”
“We will not allow interference in Israel’s internal affairs,” he added.
A Palestinian who covered Israeli operations in the Palestinian territories for years, Abu Akleh was also a US citizen.
A Justice Department spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Gantz’s statement. It was not immediately clear when the investigation might have begun and what it would entail. But a probe by the US into Israeli actions was a rare step that could shake the strong alliance between the two countries.
Palestinian officials, Abu Akleh’s family and Al Jazeera accuse Israel of intentionally targeting and killing the 51-year-old journalist, who was wearing a helmet and a protective vest marked with the word “press” when she was shot last May in the occupied West Bank.
She had covered the West Bank for Al Jazeera for two decades and was a well-known face across the Arab world. Her death reverberated across the region.
Abu Akleh’s family did not immediately respond to requests for comment late Monday, nor did Palestinian Foreign Ministry officials. A spokeswoman for outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid declined to comment, and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is expected to return to lead the country in the coming weeks, also had no immediate comment.
Israel has acknowledged that Israeli fire probably killed Abu Akleh, but vigorously denied allegations that a soldier intentionally targeted her.
It is not unusual for the FBI or other US investigators to mount probes into non-natural deaths or injuries of American citizens abroad, particularly if they are government employees.
However, such separate investigations are not the rule and it is rare, if not unprecedented, for them to occur in a US-allied country like Israel that is recognized in Washington as having a credible and independent judicial system.
Critics have long accused the military of doing a poor job of investigating wrongdoing by its troops and seldom holding forces accountable. Following their own investigation into the death, Israeli authorities decided not to launch a criminal investigation.
Israel confirms US probe into Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing
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Israel confirms US probe into Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing
- Israel has made it clear to the US “that we won’t cooperate with any external investigation,” says Benny Gantz
Egypt condemns Iran’s attacks, stands with GCC, Jordan, Iraq
- Cairo slams Israel for Lebanon attacks, illegal Gaza actions
- Diplomacy remains the only solution, experts tell Arab News
CAIRO: Egypt is holding intensive communications with regional and international players to emphasize the need for de-escalation as the US-Israel war on Iran shows no sign of abating.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry is pushing for calm in the region and has condemned Iran’s attacks on the GCC nations, Jordan and Iraq.
Since the first day of the war, Egypt has prioritized diplomacy as the only way to prevent the region from sliding into chaos.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, during a recent call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, stressed the seriousness of the situation and condemned Tehran’s behavior.
Egypt condemned Iran’s attack on a residential complex in the Saudi city of Al-Kharj that killed two people, reiterating its full solidarity with the Kingdom.
Cairo also slammed Israel’s attacks in Lebanon, which have resulted in the displacement of nearly 700,000 Lebanese citizens.
The ministry reaffirmed Egypt’s support for Lebanon and its rejection of Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty.
It also lambasted Israeli practices in the West Bank, including land confiscation and settlement expansion, in flagrant violation of international law.
Abdel Raouf El-Reedy, Egypt’s former ambassador to the US, told Arab News that Cairo’s position “is characterized by wisdom,” as the country rejects the “attack on the sovereignty of the brotherly Arab countries.”
He added: “The continuation of the war will have negative consequences for the Middle East region.”
El-Reedy said there was no alternative to political and diplomatic solutions, “because the continuation of military escalation will have negative repercussions on the Middle East region.”
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said at an iftar function recently that the region was going through difficult circumstances, and expressed hope that the war would end soon.
Speaking to Arab News, Ezzat Saad, executive director of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, said the attack on Arab countries was unacceptable, and that military escalation would lead to negative consequences for the Middle East.
Many Egyptian citizens told Arab News they support fellow Arab nations.
Ahmed Negm, a dentist, said he stood with Egypt’s neighbors and called for the attacks to end.
Mona Ahmed, a Cairo University graduate, said Egypt has strong and longstanding ties with the GCC states, noting that millions of Egyptians have been working in these countries for many decades.
Mahmoud Ahmed, a graphic designer, voiced concern over the attacks and expressed support for Egypt’s position of solidarity with Arab countries. He also called for peace.
Ahmed Younes, a journalist and researcher, highlighted the strong economic ties between Egypt and the Gulf states, and said the continuation of the war would affect the stability of the Middle East.
