The Biden administration has dropped any sense of urgency when it comes to demanding an investigation for the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, even if they won’t admit it.
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.
During graduation ceremonies at Georgetown University, students protested Secretary of State Antony Blinken and demanded accountability for slain Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
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.
In addition to being a courageous journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh also wrote in-depth articles reflecting on the role of the media in the struggle for Palestinian human rights.
May has always been a month marked by tragedy, anger, tension, and revolution for Palestinians since we were expelled from our lands on May 15th, 1948. This year has sadly been no different, as we still struggle the process the events of May a year ago.
The mass outpouring of national unity that followed the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh reflects a historic moment of Palestinian struggle and consciousness. What began last year during the Unity Intifada in reaction to the attacks on Gaza and Sheikh Jarrah has now continued through the Gilboa Prison escape and the martyrdom of Abu Akleh. Palestinian political and civil society leaders must now maintain the momentum of this solidarity that Abu Akleh’s departure has left.
Even as Israel says it won’t investigate killing of Palestinian-American journalists, US media ignore the story. But journalists are supposed to be like firefighters — if one of you is killed in action the rest of you show up in solidarity and you don’t shut up. Apparently, though, there’s an exception — when the Israeli army (almost certainly) kills your colleague.
Nearly 60 House Democrats have signed onto a letter, sent to the State Department and FBI, calling for an independent investigation into the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. The letter is led by Reps. Andre Carson (D-IN) and Lou Correa (D-CA).
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.