Pressure is building on the Biden administration from Congress and the media to investigate the killing of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. One fourth of the House Democratic caucus signed a letter calling on the U.S. to investigate the killing, and recent investigations by CNN and the Associated Press have debunked Israeli talking points. The U.S. has a history of accepting Israel’s explanations for the deaths of Americans, but pushing for an investigation makes sense as it would be a small step toward eroding Israeli impunity.

CNN published its own investigation of the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on May 11, and it says that new eyewitnesses, videos and ballistic analysis bear out what Abu Akleh’s colleagues said that day: The AlJazeera correspondent was targeted by an Israeli sniper positioned about 600 feet away from her with a clear line of sight.

A week ago the Biden administration said it was “heartbroken” by the killing of U.S. journalist Shireen Abu Akleh– by an Israeli sniper, according to witnesses– and called for a “thorough” investigation. But now Israel refuses to investigate and top Biden aides welcome Israel’s defense minister to Washington and say nothing about the killing or the whitewash.

Mainstream Democrats were shocked by the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, but their calls for an investigation were vague, even suggesting that Israel could investigate itself– a recipe for “whitewashing,” says a human rights group. No mainstream leader approached the position of progressive Congresspeople, that the U.S. must investigate Israel, or the view of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, that Israeli “apartheid” is the context of the killing.

Jen Psaki said the Biden Administration “regrets the intrusion into what should have been a peaceful procession” but didn’t condemn Israeli police violence at Shireen Abu Akleh’s funeral in Jerusalem.

A couple weeks ago President Biden addressed the importance of journalism during his remarks at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. This is a great sentiment, but of course it can’t possibly be taken seriously.

The Biden administration says it is shocked by Shireen Abu Akleh’s death, and wants an investigation. But they’re not going to launch their own, and they will presumably be skeptical of any outside human rights group that does. They have confidence in Israel to investigate itself, but it will take them months, possibly years, to develop a position on its findings. A special relationship indeed.

“Doing and saying nothing just enables more killings”: Rep. Rashida Tlaib calls for action after killing of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh

Incoming White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is facing criticism over a 2019 Newsweek op-ed where she wrote, “You cannot call yourself a progressive while continuing to associate yourself with an organization like AIPAC.”

Ubai Aboudi, the Executive Director of Bisan Center for Research & Development, was detained by Israeli forces while attempting to enter Jordan. Aboudi was on his way to attend the World Social Forum in Mexico.