The Israeli army today announced that it would not investigate the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on May 11 in Jenin, despite compelling evidence from journalist eyewitnesses that an Israeli sniper killed her.
Last week, the U.S. government condemned Abu Akleh’s killing and called for a thorough investigation. Ned Pierce of the State Department:
We are heartbroken by and strongly condemn the killing of American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the West Bank. The investigation must be immediate and thorough and those responsible must be held accountable. Her death is an affront to media freedom everywhere.
Well, a week is a long time in politics, and the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh is officially no longer heartbreaking in the Biden administration. In fact, the Biden administration officially doesn’t care.
Today Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz and issued a readout of the meeting that makes no direct reference to Abu Akleh’s killing, let alone to Israel’s decision not to investigate.
The Secretary reiterated the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israel’s security and to maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge.
That readout is insulting for a veiled reference to Abu Akleh’s killing:
Both parties agreed on the need to address the recent increase in terror attacks in Israel. Secretary Austin also underscored the importance of de-escalating tensions and protecting civilians in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
So the Biden administration can only address the killing of an American journalist, almost certainly by Israel, in the most indirect manner, as it’s embracing an Israeli leader.
Gantz loved the meeting: “Just met with my friend @SecDef Lloyd Austin… to deepen the unparalleled defense cooperation between the U.S. & Israel.”
That’s not all. The National Security adviser, Jake Sullivan, also met Gantz yesterday and had nothing to say about Abu Akleh in his celebratory tweet about the meeting last night:
I had an excellent meeting with Israeli Minister of Defense Benny Gantz at the White House today. We discussed ironclad support for Israel’s security, ways to address Iranian aggression, efforts to lower tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, and support for Ukraine.
Sullivan also congratulated Israel in a White House briefing yesterday, saying that President Biden is “excited” about visiting Israel next month– “to reaffirm the strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship.”
As Ayman Mohyeldin of MSNBC tweeted today on news that Israel won’t investigate the killing:
We are about to see just how seriously the American government takes the killing of one of its own citizens. This is utterly shameful. Completely expected.
Well you got your answer…
The disgusting support for Israel as usual by a President and members of Congress, when it behaves like a violent nation, was obvious when Shireen Abu Akleh was brutally assassinated by a nation that benefits from our generosity. NO strong words of condemnation from the White House or leaders in Congress. Biden flew to Buffalo to condemn, rightfully, the massacre of innocent people by a mass murderer, but he did not CONDEMN the killing of an American journalist when she was killed, and the killers lied and blamed the people on the other side. Presidential spokespeople saying they are “concerned”, “disturbed”, or calling for “investigations”, does not cut it. We know these are hollow words for that moment, that dissipates into thin air, in a matter of days. Rachel Corrie’s parents might attest to that. Even the US media, did not make this front page news like they did when Jamal Khashoggi was brutally killed by a so called ally. Israel has refused to investigate this killing, and there is no protest from the US government. Predictable.
NOTHING Israel does, including killing 68 children and wiping out entire families, seems to move our government into strongly condemning Israel’s violence, threatening sanctions, or to stop the aid flowing there. Imagine the “outrage” had Iran killed an American journalist, or wiped out entire families, anywhere else in the world.
Israel is America’s favorite apartheid/rogue nation. The whole world knows it.
Israel’s Ruling Coalition Becomes Minority after Palestinian MK Quits – Palestine Chronicle
“Israel’s Ruling Coalition Becomes Minority after Palestinian MK Quits” May 19, 2022, Palestine Chronicle
“Israel’s ruling coalition became a minority in parliament on Thursday when MK Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi pulled her support for the government, throwing Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s hold on power into question, The New Arab reported.
“Rinawie Zoabi, a Palestinian citizen of Israel from the left-wing Meretz Party, announced she was resigning in a letter circulated in Israeli media due to ‘ideological’ issues.
“Rinawie Zoabi cited the killing of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and Israeli violence at Al-Aqsa Mosque earlier this year as factors in her decision to resign.
“‘She also slammed the coalition government’s decision to take ‘hawkish, hard line and right-wing positions’, which follows Israel’s killing of the Abu Akleh and other acts of brutality against Palestinians.
“She said she joined the coalition – which includes far-right Israeli parties and a Palestinian Islamist group – in the hope of ‘a new path of equality and respect’.
“Her resignation leaves Bennett controlling 59 of the 120 seats in the Knesset with questions over his ability to govern.”
Was the two-state farce discussed? I wonder.
How about land theft? Was that discussed?
https://twitter.com/Issaamro/status/1525100173327728641?s=20&t=j–uPXkpaY-r8bR3Tor3Ig
Just another American sacrificed at the alter to appease Israel Apartheid.
It’s especially easy when the US media is complicit. Giving the entire affair little to no attention, simply sweeping it under the rug as quickly as possible, and failing to demand action, accountability or… heavens forbid… even forceful condemnation and action.
In their defense, they covered the savage assassination of Jamal Kashoggi wall-to-wall for weeks on end and there wasn’t a single word or action taken against MBS or the Saudi government. Apparently the the only crime you can commit against US citizens, residents, workers, and our national interests, and not get away with is to fail to buy, bribe, and blackmail the loyalties of our elected leaders.
So what have we learned this week, class? A mere $8 million dollars over a single two-year election cycle can still buy the fealty, the primary candidacy, and even seat of a number of politicians, and guaranteed impunity from the murder of American citizens.
This is bargain basement stuff when you consider that nearly 8 billion tax dollars are going to Israel every single election cycle. Imagine spending 0.1% of someone else’s money (Thanks, American taxpayers) you get every election cycle to guarantee that you keep getting 4 billion dollars per year, massive tax-free status on millions in “charitable” donations, special tax and trade agreements, plus no criticism, no pressure, no condemnation, no action, complete immunity, impunity and protection for crime against humanity, war crimes, and Apartheid, not to mention nothing but platitudes, compliments and unwavering fealty that would make even the greatest con artists and dictators blush.