The bullet is “too damaged” to draw conclusions
July 4. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The United States has informed after the examination carried out by its experts of the bullet that killed the American-Palestinian journalist Shirín abu Aklé, that it “probably” came from the positions of the Israeli Army, although it has stressed that it would be an “unintentional” shot. .
“The shots coming from the positions of the Israeli Army are probably responsible for the death of Shirín abú Aklé”, according to the conclusions of the United States Security Coordinator (USSC, for its acronym in English), explained the US State Department in a statement signed by his spokesman, Ned Price.
In addition, the United States has stressed that the bullet is too damaged to be able to draw definitive conclusions about its origin. “After an extremely detailed, independent, expert forensic analysis … no definitive conclusion could be reached about the origin of the bullet that killed Palestinian-American journalist Shirin Abu Akle,” Price argued. Ballistics experts have concluded that “the bullet was badly damaged, which has prevented a clear conclusion.”
Washington also supports the Israeli version regarding the intention of the shot. “The USSC has found no reason to believe that it was an intentional (shot), but rather that it would be the result of the tragic circumstances during an operation by the Israeli Army against factions of Islamic Jihad,” Price said.
The US diplomatic spokesman recalled that the incident occurred on May 11 in Jenin “after a series of terrorist attacks against Israel.”
This Monday the USSC has returned the bullet that caused the journalist’s death after the Palestinian Prosecutor’s Office handed it over for examination on Saturday. The ballistic examination has been carried out in an Israeli laboratory under US custody.
ISRAEL RULES OUT A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION FOR THE MOMENT
After knowing the result of the exam, the chief of the Israeli Army General Staff, Aviv Kohavi, has ordered to continue with the investigation of what happened “by all available means” and “in search of the truth”.
A decision on the possible opening of a criminal investigation will only be made after the completion of the Army’s operational examination, the Israeli Army itself reported in a statement published on Monday.
“The Israeli Army regrets any harm caused to non-combatants, including during a firefight or in a combat zone, and is absolutely committed to protecting the sanctity of human life and protecting the freedom of the press,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, the family has also published a statement on Monday in which it has stressed that they will continue to demand justice and accountability and have urged the UN and the International Criminal Court to “adopt measures immediately so that there is justice.” “This does not end here. #JusticiaparaShirín,” the family posted on Twitter.
The conclusions of the independent investigation carried out by the United Nations Office for Human Rights on the death of the journalist coincide with the evaluation carried out by the Palestinian authorities and which point to the Israeli forces as being responsible for the death of the reporter.
The conclusions of the investigation also dismantle the narrative that there was activity by armed Palestinians in the vicinity of the position where the reporters were, as Israel pointed out at the time. The Israeli Army admitted several days later the possibility that the journalist died from a shot fired by her own forces, but always unintentionally.
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