The Public Prosecutor’s Office issued a statement today on the case of the martyr Shireen Abu Akleh. Following is the text of the statement:

The findings of the Public Prosecution’s investigations in the case of the assassination of the martyr Shireen Abu Akleh, which were previously announced, were based on a set of irrefutable evidence, which included technical reports, examinations and eyewitnesses’ testimonies that conclusively determined that the assassination of the martyr Shireen Abu Akleh was a direct targeting by a member of the Israeli occupation army stationed in the area, and it proved indisputably that there were no manifestations or armed confrontations at the time and place of the crime.

The evidence included technical reports related to the bullet extracted from the head of the martyr Shireen Abu Akleh, which indicated that the 5.56-caliber projectile was armor-piercing and was fired from a distance of 170 to 180 meters with a firing path that corresponds to the location of the Israeli occupation army.

The Public Prosecution conducted its investigations independently and informed the American side of the content of the results that were reached since the martyr holds US citizenship. The US side has conducted a separate investigation since the crime occurred, and to complete their investigation, the ballistic was turned over to them for 24 hours to conduct a technical examination by American experts brought specially for this purpose following an official request submitted by the US administration. Their request was approved by the competent authorities in the State of Palestine, as previously announced, and the projectile was duly returned to the Public Prosecution, and it was confirmed through the Palestinian technical experts that it was returned in the same condition in which it was handed over.

With regard to what the American side stated regarding the results of the technical examination of the presence of severe damage to the bullet that prevented reaching a clear conclusion, the Public Prosecution confirms that this is not true and was surprised by came in the statement since the technical reports of Public Prosecution confirm that the condition of the projectile could be matched to the weapon used. Additionally, the fact that the targeting of the martyr Abu Akleh, according to the conclusive evidence, was intentional, and it is unacceptable what was stated by the American side that there were no reasons indicating that the targeting was intentional, especially since they were aware of the overall investigations of the Public Prosecution that confirmed the issue of a premeditated killing, whether what is documented by video recordings or through eyewitnesses, the path, distance and heights of the shooting, or by targeting those who tried to rescue the martyr, as detailed in the announcement of the results of our investigations in the press conference.

The competent authority to conduct the investigation legally is the Palestinian Public Prosecution, and any results of investigations conducted by any other bodies are not legally binding. Based on the investigations, Israel bears full responsibility for the deliberate assassination of the Palestinian martyr Shireen Abu Akleh, and we will work to complete our legal procedures to prosecute Israel before international courts.

SOURCE: PALESTINE NEWS & INFO AGENCY