Defense Minister Gantz: Israel will not investigate death of Al Jazeera reporter with US

TEL AVIV, November 15 – RIA Novosti. Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that Israel will not cooperate with the United States in the investigation into the death of an Al Jazeera reporter who was shot dead during an Israeli army operation in Jenin in the West Bank and will not tolerate interference in internal affairs.

The United States informed Israel on Monday that it will conduct its own investigation into the killing of Al Jazeera correspondent Shirin Abu Akle, who was shot and killed during an Israeli military operation in Jenin in May of this year, Haaretz reported. Axios wrote on Monday that the investigation by the FBI is fraught with tensions between the administration of President Joe Biden and the current Israeli government.

“The decision of the US Department of Justice to investigate Shirin Abu Akle’s tragic death is a serious mistake. The Israel Defense Forces conducted an independent and professional investigation and its findings were presented to the American side. Gantz told US officials on his Twitter account that we support IDF soldiers, He stated that we will not cooperate with anyone under any external investigation and will not allow interference in Israel’s internal affairs.

In September, the Israeli army’s press service reported that the military prosecutor concluded that there was no justification for an investigation by the military police into the incident involving the death of Al Jazeera reporter Shirin Abu Akle. In the ballistic examination, it was stated that it was difficult to determine from which source the bullet was fired due to the poor physical condition of the bullet. At the same time, the military reported that there was a possibility that Abu Akle was killed by a bullet accidentally fired by the Israeli army, which it assumed was shooting at Palestinian militants, but that the journalist was also likely killed by Palestinian militants. opened fire towards the area.

The journalist was killed while following the Israeli army’s counter-terrorism operation in Jenin in the West Bank in early May. It was later revealed that Shirin Abu Akle also holds American citizenship.

Al Jazeera TV channel and Palestinian authorities have called for an international investigation into the journalist’s death. By contrast, official Washington’s actions are determined in part by pressure on the Biden administration, with dozens of Democratic congressmen and the Abu Akle family demanding that authorities “do more” to bring Israel’s perpetrators to justice. military.