RAMALLAH, The Ministry of foreign affairs and expatriates welcomed in a statement today the decision of the U.S. Department of Justice to open an investigation into the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American prominent journalist who was shot dead in early May during an Israeli military raid into Jenin.

The ministry said that this decision, albeit a late one, reflects the certainty of the US side for the lack of any serious Israeli investigations and slams them as mere attempts to cover up for criminals and murderers.

It affirmed the Palestinian side’s readiness to fully cooperate with any international or American investigations opened into the killing of Abu Akleh and others victims of extrajudicial killings.

According to Israeli media outlets, the US has informed the Israeli authorities that the FBI will open its own investigation into the killing of al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

In response to the Israeli decision, Israeli defense minister Benny Gants tweeted that “the decision taken by the US Justice Department to conduct an investigation into the tragic passing of Shireen Abu Akleh, is a mistake.”

Source: Palestine News & Info Agency