WASHINGTON – The US State Department on Monday welcomed the IDF investigation into the circumstances surrounding Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh’s death, which said there is a high possibility she was accidentally hit by IDF gunfire.
“We welcome 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,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.
“The United States has made it a priority to mitigate and respond to civilian harm caused by military operations,” he said.
“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,” he added.
“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.”
US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price
“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,” Price said. “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.”
An IDF investigation found that an Israeli soldier was likely to have accidentally shot Abu Akleh while exchanging fire with gunmen in Jenin in May. It dismissed the need for a criminal probe.
Today Israel Defense Forces stated there is a high possibility that Shireen Abu Akleh was accidentally killed by IDF gunfire. We underscore the importance of accountability, such as policies and procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
— Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) September 5, 2022
“There is a high possibility that Shireen was accidentally hit by IDF gunfire that was fired toward suspects identified as armed Palestinian gunmen, during an exchange of fire in which life-risking, widespread and indiscriminate shots were fired toward IDF soldiers,” the military said Monday.
Mixed signals
It was the strongest IDF statement to date with respect to its possible culpability in Abu Akleh’s death. However, it clarified that no such statement of guilt was possible given the impossibility of determining with certainty who shot the bullet that killed her.