Palestine on Sunday refuted claims by Israeli authorities that they will examine the bullet that killed journalist Shireen Abu Akleh after the projectile was handed over to the United States (US) for forensic analysis.
Akram al-Khatib, the prosecutor general for the Palestinian Authority (PA), said the investigation will only be conducted by American officials. “We got guarantees from the American coordinator that the examination will be conducted by them and that the Israeli side will not take part,” Khatib said.
Shireen Abu Akleh "was wearing a helmet & a protective vest marked with the word 'Press' when she was shot in the head." Israel denies that its soldiers shot her. The Palestinian Authority disagrees, saying it just handed US investigators the fatal bullet. https://t.co/px0xlwPSBH
— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) July 4, 2022
Khatib was responding to Israeli claims that it would examine the bullet in the presence of Americans. The analysis will be carried out at the US embassy in Jerusalem. “The professional Israeli examination will take place in the presence of the Americans. If there is a match between the shell and the weapons of Israeli soldiers, we will inform the public,” Israeli army spokesperson Ran Kochav said on Sunday.
“The [forensic] test will not be American. The test will be an Israeli test, with an American presence throughout,” he said, adding that “in the coming days or hours it will be become clear whether it was even us who killed her, accidentally, or whether it was the Palestinian gunmen.”
The results of Israel’s ballistic analysis of the bullet that killed Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh are set to be published on Monday. No matter who fired the bullet that killed her, there is no evidence she was targeted. https://t.co/7cYu1RoxSf
— Ari Ingel (@OGAride) July 4, 2022
“If we killed her, we will take responsibility and feel regret for what happened,” Kochav declared.
The remarks were made after the PA announced on Saturday that it had handed over the bullet to US officials in Palestine for a ballistic test in order to shed more light on who was responsible for Akleh’s death. Khatib expressed confidence that the US examination would show beyond a doubt that Israel was responsible for Akleh’s murder. “We are confident and certain of our investigations and the results we have reached,” he said.
Moreover, Palestinian Justice Minister Muhammad al-Shalaldeh told Al Jazeera on Monday that the US had completed the analysis and returned the bullet to the PA. He added that the US is likely to release the results later today. Shalaldeh welcomed the US’ examination and said that Washington had a right to conduct an investigation since Akleh was an American citizen.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 3, 2022
Israel said it would test a bullet that killed the journalist Shireen Abu Akleh to determine whether one of its soldiers shot her https://t.co/MD2OaotKOZ pic.twitter.com/mPegDQ9vPi
On May 11, Akleh was shot in the head while covering a clash been the IDF and Palestinians in Jenin despite wearing a press jacket that identified her as a journalist. Al Jazeera and the PA blamed Israel for killing her and submitted separate letters to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to conduct an investigation.
While Israel initially rejected claims that its soldiers were behind the murder, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) later said that the rifle and bullet that shot Akleh could have belonged to one of its soldiers. However, the IDF added that it could not be sure and urged the PA to hand over the bullet for a joint investigation.
The PA has refused to give the bullet to Israel, citing a lack of trust. “We refused a joint investigation, because those who fabricated the history of a people, stealing land and homeland, can fabricate a narrative. We do not trust them,” PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh recently said.
The family of reporter #Shireen_Abu_Akleh tells @NPR it’s concerned after Palestinian officials gave the U.S. the fatal bullet for a probe. Abu Akleh’s brother Anton says no officials updated them. “We have serious doubts that this process will lead to accountability.” Statement: pic.twitter.com/zn24EVAULk
— Daniel Estrin (@DanielEstrin) July 2, 2022
Separate investigations conducted by the Associated Press and CNN last month found that the bullet that shot Akleh came from Israeli fire. The New York Times, too, found that the shot was fired by an Israeli soldier; however, it said that the murder was accidental.
A report released by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) earlier this month also found that Israeli forces were responsible for the death of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. The UN body called on Israel to conduct a “prompt, thorough, transparent, independent and impartial investigation” and hold the perpetrators to account.
Akleh’s death comes amid an increase in Palestinian deaths in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The UNHRC reported on Sunday that the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces in the West Bank and East Jerusalem increased by 46% in the first half of 2022 compared with the same period last year. The UN body also noted the total Palestinian deaths in the West Bank and East Jerusalem rose from 24 in 2020 to 78 in 2021. So far, 60 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops this year.