Israel refuses to co-operate with US inquiry into journalist’s killing

Israel is refusing to co-operate with a US investigation into the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, the Palestinian-American Al Jazeera journalist who was shot in the head during an Israeli military raid in the West Bank town of Jenin in May.

Outgoing prime minister Yair Lapid made it clear that the FBI will not investigate Israeli soldiers, adding that he has sent a strongly worded message to Washington.

Defence minister Benny Gantz described the decision by the US justice department, reported on Monday, to have the FBI investigate the incident as a “mistake”.

“The Israeli defence forces have conducted a professional, independent investigation, which was presented to American officials with whom the details were shared. I have delivered a message to US representatives that we stand by the soldiers, that we will not co-operate with an external investigation and will not enable intervention to internal investigations,” Mr Gantz said.

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Israel first claimed that the journalist was caught in the crossfire and shot by Palestinian militants. Then, in September, the Israeli army issued a report concluding that Ms Abu Akleh was likely hit by its forces, albeit mistakenly.

But her family, as well as much of the Palestinian community, still blame Israeli forces for deliberately targeting the veteran and highly respected journalist and killing her.

Ms Abu Akleh’s family said they were encouraged by the news of the US investigation.

“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 family said in a statement.

There was renewed violence in the West Bank on Tuesday when an 18-year-old Palestinian killed three Israelis and wounded another three.

The assailant first stabbed a number of civilians in the industrial zone of the northern West Bank city of Ariel, where he worked as a cleaner. He subsequently stabbed more civilians who were at a nearby petrol station, and then fled the scene in a stolen car.

He drove against traffic on a nearby motorway, causing an crash involving a number of cars and also collided with a person on the side of the road before being shot and killed by a soldier.

A number of clashes between Palestinians and Jewish settlers were reported after the incident.

Hamas praised the attack as a “heroic operation that proves our nation’s ability to continue the revolution and protect the Al-Aqsa mosque”.

Itamar Ben- Gvir, the far-right member of the Knesset parliament who is expected to be appointed public security minister in Binyamin Netanyahu’s new government, said the attack underlined the need to restore Israel’s deterrence and the “urgent need to change open fire rules”.