Israeli Military Won't Investigate Shireen Abu Akleh's Murder, Family: We Don't Want Them To Participate

Pemakaman Shireen Abu Akleh. (Wikimedia Commons/Egyptian Channel One)

JAKARTA - The Israeli military has no plans to investigate the murder of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, according to Israeli media reports, prompting the family to reiterate their call for a transparent investigation into the shooting.

The Israeli Military Police's Criminal Investigation Division believes an investigation that treats Israeli soldiers as suspects will lead to opposition within Israeli society, Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported on Thursday.

Previous investigations into the killing of Palestinians by Israeli soldiers have caused controversy in Israel, with many Israelis believing their soldiers should not be prosecuted for the act.

In response to the report, Abu Akleh's family said they were not surprised by the Israeli military, which could potentially not investigate Abu Akleh's death.

"We expect this from the Israeli side. That's why we don't want them to participate in the investigation," the family said in a statement to Al Jazeera, as quoted on May 19.

"We want to hold accountable those responsible for these actions. We urge the United States in particular, because he is a US citizen, and the international community to open a fair and transparent investigation and to end the killings."

Shireen Abu Akleh, 51, was killed by an Israeli soldier last Wednesday, according to witnesses and colleagues present when she was shot while covering an Israeli military raid on the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.

The veteran journalist, who has spent nearly three decades covering the West Bank and Gaza Strip, wears a helmet and vest with the word "press" emblazoned on it.

She was shot in the back of the neck, in the small space between the helmet and the vest. Gunfire continued as her teammates and people around tried to help her.

Abu Akleh is a US citizen living in occupied East Jerusalem. The family received assurances from the US government that his murder would be investigated.

To note, shrapnel was taken from Abu Akleh's body but the Palestinian Authority refused to provide evidence to Israel, saying Israel has a long history of not properly investigating Palestinian deaths, only issuing light sentences or warnings to its soldiers who have committed the killings.