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Shireen Abu Akleh: A photo of the killed journalist is shown at a memorial service
Photo: MUSSA ISSA QAWASMA/ REUTERS
In the case of the reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed in the West Bank in May, her TV station Al Jazeera claims to have called the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Al Jazeera writes that the broadcaster has made a formal request to the International Criminal Court to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the murder of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
The station had evidence disproving the Israeli authorities' claim that Abu Akleh was killed in a crossfire.
The 51-year-old Palestinian-American journalist was killed in a fierce firefight between Israeli security forces and militant Palestinians during a raid in Jenin.
Israeli and Palestinian authorities blamed each other for the incident.
Al Jazeera speaks of new evidence
In early July, the UN Human Rights Commission and the US State Department said Abu Akleh was probably killed by shots fired by the Israeli military.
However, the forensic analysis of the projectile did not produce a clear conclusion as it was badly damaged.
According to the US investigation, Abu Akleh was not hit intentionally.
According to the ministry, the investigation summarizes the findings of the Israeli and Palestinian sides.
According to the broadcaster, the request for an investigation now contains a dossier on a comprehensive six-month investigation into Al Jazeera, in which all available eyewitness reports and video recordings as well as new material about the assassination of Abu Akleh are said to have been compiled.
According to Al Jazeera, the evidence should show that "Shireen and her colleagues were fired upon directly by the Israeli occupying forces."
Israel does not want soldiers to be questioned
The request comes in the context of multiple attacks on Al Jazeera and journalists in Palestine, said Rodney Dixon KC, a lawyer for Al Jazeera: "This is not a single incident, but a killing that is part of a larger pattern that the Prosecutors should investigate to identify those responsible for the killing and charge them," the attorney said.
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid reacted negatively to Al Jazeera's initiative and ruled out questioning Israeli soldiers.
"Nobody will question IDF soldiers and nobody will lecture us on the morale of the fight, especially not Al Jazeera," Lapid said.
Abu Akleh had worked for the Qatari broadcaster for more than 20 years.
The Palestinian was well known for her reporting on the Middle East conflict, particularly in the Arab world.
ptz/Reuters