Brother of journalist killed in occupied West Bank says new report reveals cover-up

Shireen Abu Akleh

The brother of the journalist Shireen Abu Akleh shot dead by the Israeli army three years ago alleges that new revelations from an American military officer who investigated her killing reveals a US cover-up.

Tony Abu Akleh's comments come after the New York Times reported that a US colonel said he concluded in 2022 that Ms Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American Al Jazeera correspondent, was intentionally killed. Colonel Steve Gabavics alleges that his superiors and the Biden administration softened findings to appease Israel.

Mr Abu Akleh told the BBC the new revelation confirmed what the family always knew - that his sister was deliberately shot, despite being clearly identified as a journalist.

Ms Abu Akleh died from a single shot to the head, and her colleague Ali al-Samoudi was wounded, after being fired on by the Israeli army during a raid on Jenin refugee camp in May 2022.

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At first, the IDF claimed she was hit by Palestinian gunmen, but over the weeks changed that account, saying she likely was killed by its soldiers by mistake.

The Biden administration backed up this account saying it "found no reason to believe" the US citizen was intentionally targeted.

But now, retired Col. Steve Gabavics, the senior US officer who went to the scene and examined the evidence, said he concluded at the time that she, despite clearly wearing a blue press vest, was deliberately shot. Col. Gabavics alleges that his findings were softened for political reasons, to avoid damaging US relations with Israel.

The BBC has approached the US Department of State for comment.

The New York Times quoted two unnamed US officials who said the most senior US military official overseeing the case at the time believed there was not adequate evidence to rule out the possibility the killing was accidental. It quoted Lt. Gen. Michael R. Fenzel, then-US security coordinator in the region, saying he was confident that the US reached the right conclusions.

The BBC also approached the Israeli embassy in Washington for comment.

Mr Abu Akleh, who is also a US citizen, described the Biden administration's position on the shooting at the time as a "whitewash".

It aided impunity for the IDF, he alleged, adding that if the US had held Israel to account in terms of demanding action against the soldiers involved, it could have helped deter the further killings of journalists in Gaza.

"It was from day one we knew everything. They were trying to cover it up... obviously for political gains," alleged Mr Abu Akleh. "We believe that the US government intentionally downplayed these findings and softened the language just to avoid holding Israel accountable, which is really disappointing. No government should compromise the truth and the safety of its citizens to protect political interests."

Colonel Gabavics told the BBC on Monday that the evidence he reviewed in the investigation "indicated clearly that it was intentional."

"I would like the administration to really go back, and talk to Israel and hold them accountable - to make them actually do a deliberate investigation, even with the facts almost, you know, multiple years removed," he said. "They still exist there, that they can go back to make a determination."