A group of 57 American lawmakers over the weekend sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinke and FBI Director Christopher Wray demanding an American-led investigation into the death of Al-Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh earlier this month.
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Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American, was killed on May 11 while covering an IDF raid on terrorists' homes in the West Bank city of Jenin – a known Islamic Jihad stronghold.
Her death sent shockwaves around the world and gave rise to fierce debates over who fired the fatal shot she sustained.
The Qatar-based Al-Jazeera network accused Israel of deliberately killing the much-admired veteran journalist, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said he would move for the International Criminal Court to investigate the incident.
The killing of Al Jazeera reporter and fellow American, #ShireenAbuAkleh, was not only a tragedy; it was an affront to press freedom and to all Americans. We need answers and accountability from the Israeli government.
— André Carson (@RepAndreCarson) May 20, 2022
Still, the Palestinian Authority has refused Israel's repeated requests to hold a joint investigation and has further refused to hand over the bullet extracted from the body for testing – a step vital for determining culpability.
Friday's letter to Blinken and Wray was the work of Democratic Congressmen Andre Carson and Luis Correa. They were joined by 55 other lawmakers, ranging from progressive Democrats to more moderate, and even pro-Israel, lawmakers in the party.
"As Members of Congress, we are deeply concerned by the death of Ms. Abu Akleh. Journalists worldwide must be protected at all costs," the letter reads.
"We request the State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) launch an investigation into Ms. Abu Akleh's death. We also request the US Department of State determine whether any US laws protecting Ms. Abu Akleh, an American citizen, were violated.
"We, the undersigned Members of Congress, urge you to uphold the values that our nation was founded on, including human rights, equality for all, and freedom of speech. We have a duty to protect Americans reporting abroad. We look forward to your timely response."
This letter doesn't offer a fair representation of the case, ignores important context and reaches the wrong conclusion.
Statement by @AmbHerzog in response to a congressional letter calling for a U.S. investigation into the tragic death of Shireen Abu Akleh: pic.twitter.com/x0OcAXpHth
— Elad Strohmayer (@EladStr) May 20, 2022
Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog said he was "disheartened" by the move.
"This letter does not offer a fair representation of the case and reaches the wrong conclusion," Herzog wrote in a statement posted online.
"The letter ignores the fact that from the beginning, Israel has called for an impartial joint Israeli – Palestinian investigation with the US in an observer role. The PA has rejected this, using Ms. Abu Akleh death for an anti-Israel propaganda campaign.
"The PA still refuses to give Israel access to the bullet, making a thorough investigation impossible. The full facts are not yet known but the letter implicitly points at Israel as the suspect. In addition, the letter implies Israel cannot be trusted to conduct an honest investigation, thereby delegitimizing Israel's strong, credible and independent judicial system.
"No journalist should die in the line of duty. Israel holds freedom of the press in the highest regard. To our friends in Congress: Truth and justice would be better served by calling on the PA to give Israel access to the bullet and allow for the completion of the investigation," the ambassador concluded.
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