Israel won’t cooperate with U.S. inquiry into slain journalist’s death
Washington Post
The Facts
On Monday, Israeli officials announced that the US has outlined plans to open its own investigation into the death of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed in May while covering a raid in the West Bank city of Jenin.
Palestinian officials, Abu Akleh's family, and Al Jazeera accuse Israel of intentionally killing Abu Akleh, who was wearing a helmet and a vest that said "press" when she was shot.
The Spin
Pro-Israel narrative
While tragic, Abu Akleh's death wasn't deliberate, as found by multiple investigations. The IDF's probe — which included the US — thoroughly investigated the incident, while critics of Israel have been quick to jump to conclusions. The FBI's investigation will only waste time and damage the alliance between the two countries.
Pro-Palestine narrative
The fact that the US is now launching an official investigation into Shireen Abu Akleh's death means that it likely has credible evidence that a crime was committed. This long overdue probe is an important step toward accountability for the frequent and relentless Israeli human rights abuses.
