The United States is investigating the killing of Al-Jazeera journalist and Israel refuses to cooperate

Israel’s Defense Minister, Benny Gantz, called the US Justice Department’s investigation into the journalist’s killing a “mistake” and said the IDF itself “conducted a professional and independent investigation, which was referred to US officials. They were briefed on the details.”

“I told US representatives that we stand with the soldiers, that we will not cooperate in any external investigation, and will not allow interference in internal investigations,” Gantz wrote on Twitter.

And Israeli media had reported earlier that the investigation had begun. Washington has previously stated repeatedly that it does not want to start its own investigation into the events.

Well-known Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Okla worked for the Arabic news channel Al Jazeera. She was writing a report on an Israeli military operation in the Palestinian city of Jenin in the occupied territories on May 11 shot dead. Her death caused shock throughout the Middle East. Both the Palestinian authorities and
Al-Jazeera, as well as Qatar, which funds Al-Jazeera, immediately accused the Israeli army of killing her.

Some time ago, an internal IDF investigation concluded that there was a “high probability” that the journalist’s death was the result of crossfire from Israeli soldiers. Israel said the shots fired could not be clearly attributed to anyone, even after the investigation. That is why there is no criminal investigation.