The Israeli human rights organization, B’Tselem, said yesterday that the Israeli army killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh should be looked at as a crime, not simply a “result of tragic circumstances.”
“All investigations published so far conclude that Israel is responsible for the killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh,” said B’Tselem in reaction to a US report issued yesterday that absolved Israel of killing Abu Akleh. “It is not clear on what grounds does the US State Department seek to dismiss her killing as ‘the result of tragic circumstances’ and not as a crime for which those responsible should be held to account.”
B’Tselem said the policy of killing Palestinians in the occupied territories is an organized whitewash.
“As far as Israel is concerned, its policy regarding the killing of Palestinians has never been anything other than an organized whitewash meant to enable the continuation of the killings with impunity, and it is no different when it comes to a US citizen as in the current case.”
It added: “The odds that those responsible for the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh will be held to account are all but nonexistent. Meanwhile, Israel’s international impunity remains unchallenged.”
Source: Palestine News & Info Agency