US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Tuesday with the family of the late Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was fatally shot in May while covering clashes between IDF forces and Palestinian terrorists in Jenin.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
According to a statement from Blinken's office, the secretary of state invited some of Abu Akleh's relatives to the State Department for a sit-down meeting, at which he stressed the US commitment to finding those responsible for her death.
Today I met with the family of slain Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, whose fearless journalism earned her the respect of audiences around the world. I expressed my deepest condolences and commitment to pursue accountability for her tragic killing. pic.twitter.com/zJL4zR6l2E
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) July 27, 2022
Lina Abu Akleh, the journalist's niece, posted a video of herself to Twitter in which she said, "We are here to seek justice for Shireen." Lina adds that the family wants those responsible for Shireen's "murder" to face justice.
We're about to meet with @SecBlinken to demand #JusticeForShireen pic.twitter.com/Sz2ktF7IRD
— Lina Abu Akleh (@LinaAbuAkleh) July 26, 2022
Lina Abu Akleh said Shireen had devoted her life to exposing the truth behind every story, and her family would do the same.
The family said that Blinken told them that he felt an obligation to defend every American citizen. (Shireen Abu Akleh held US citizenship.) The family said they would not rest until an American investigation would lead to justice.
A US analysis of the bullet that killed Shireen, which initially the Palestinians refused to hand over, determined that there was no absolute way of knowing who fired the fatal shot, although it was probable that it came from the Israeli forces, a conclusion based on evidence presented by both the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
