PA welcomes US probe into the killing of Al-Jazeera journalist
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the US decision and said that the Palestinians are ready to cooperate with an investigation.
By KHALED ABU TOAMEH PALESTINIAN CHILDREN walk past a mural of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in Bethlehem.(photo credit: WISAM HASHLAMOUN/FLASH90)
The Palestinian Authority on Tuesday welcomed the decision by the US Department of Justice to open an investigation into the killing of Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot in Jenin earlier this year.
PA presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh said the decision constitutes “further evidence of the lack of credibility of the occupation authorities’ account of all cases of deliberate killings carried out by their forces against our people.”
Abu Rudaineh called for holding accountable those responsible for the killing of Abu Akleh, a resident of east Jerusalem who held US citizenship.
The spokesperson denounced the Israeli reaction to the decision, saying the Israeli policy defies international law through its disregard for international and UN resolutions and its refusal to comply with them.
“The Palestinians are ready to cooperate with any international or US investigations into the execution of the martyr Abu Akleh and other victims of extrajudicial killings,”
Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
A PALESTINIAN MAN draws a mural of Al Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh in Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip. (credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)
What did the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs say?
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also welcomed the US decision and said that the Palestinians are ready to cooperate with an investigation into the case of Abu Akleh and other Palestinians allegedly killed by the Israeli security forces.
The ministry said that the US investigation was needed because of Israel’s attempts to “obliterate” the case of the veteran Al-Jazeera journalist.
“The Palestinians are ready to cooperate with any international or US investigations into the execution of the martyr Abu Akleh and other victims of extrajudicial killings,” the ministry added.
The Abu Akleh family said in a statement that they are “encouraged” by the news that the US opened a criminal investigation into the incident. “We hope that the United States will use all of the investigative tools at its disposal to get answers about Shireen’s killing and hold those who are responsible for this atrocity accountable,” the statement read. “We call on all parties with any evidence to respond to investigatory requests from the US and not sand in the way of justice.”
Former Palestinian cabinet minister and columnist Hassan Asfour hailed the US decision as “an important step towards exposing the crimes of the occupation army.” Asfour added: “The Biden administration is well aware that the upcoming Israeli [coalition] extremists will embarrass it in front of its allies."
