The Israeli army said on Monday May 23 that while one of its soldiers had fired the bullet that killed Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the occupied West Bank in mid-May, he did not appear guilty of "
criminal activity
". 'after his preliminary investigation.
Read alsoIsraeli army accused of killing al-Jazeera journalist
After claiming that the Al Jazeera reporter -- who wore a bulletproof vest reading "
press
" and a reporting helmet while in the Palestinian refugee camp in Jenin (north) -- had "
probably
" succumbed to Palestinian fire, Israel has announced that it does not rule out that the bullet was fired by its soldiers.
On Monday, the army's general counsel, Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, considered that "
given that Shireen Abu Akleh was killed in the middle of an intense combat zone, one cannot immediately suspect an activity criminal, in the absence of additional evidence
”.
“Doubts about the circumstances”
The opening of a criminal investigation depends on the availability of other elements from "
the army's investigation and other sources
", she said according to a statement from the army. .
The army assured Monday to make "
every effort to examine the circumstances of the incident in order to understand how Shireen Abu Akleh was killed
", criticizing the decision of the Palestinian Authority to keep the fatal bullet.
"
The inability to inspect the ball (...) continues to cast doubt on the circumstances
" of the incident, the army said.
Last week, she claimed that during the exchange of fire between soldiers and Palestinian gunmen, "
a soldier fired a few bullets from a (army) vehicle using a telescopic sight at a Palestinian who was shooting at the aforementioned vehicle
”.
"
The Palestinian gunman fired numerous shots at the (Israeli) soldier and it is possible that Shireen Abu Akleh, who was close to the Palestinian gunman, behind, was hit by the soldier's gunfire
," she said.
Read alsoFuneral of Shireen Abu Akleh: Israel arrests one of the coffin bearers
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he held the Israeli authorities "
fully responsible
" for the journalist's death, refusing a joint investigation with Israel, for lack of "
trust
".
Al Jazeera accused Israeli forces of "
deliberately
" and "
cold blooded
" killing of one of its star journalists.
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