U.S. Says Abu Akleh Bullet Test Inconclusive, But 'Likely' Israeli Military Responsible

Ballistic analysis of the bullet that killed veteran Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh in May was inconclusive, the U.S. State Department said on Monday, but added it was “likely” an Israeli soldier mistakenly fired the fatal shot.

“After an extremely detailed forensic analysis, independent, third-party examiners, as part of a process overseen by the US Security Coordinator (USSC) could not reach a definitive conclusion regarding the origin of the bullet that killed Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh,” the State Department statement read.

“Ballistics determined that the bullet was badly damaged, which prevented a clear conclusion.”

The Palestinian Authority on Saturday finally agreed to transfer the bullet to American officials for forensic testing, two months after Abu Akleh’s death.  The PA also refused Israel’s offer to conduct a joint investigation, citing “trust” issues.

Israel has maintained for weeks it had identified the IDF rifle that may have fired the shot, but it couldn’t confirm conclusively without the bullet.

Abu Akleh, who was also an American citizen, was killed during a firefight in the West Bank city of Jenin in May. Israeli troops entered a refugee camp in the West Bank city of Jenin to arrest terror suspects from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group in a raid that came amid a spate of terror attacks that killed 19 Israelis.

Israeli experts conducted the analysis in a forensic laboratory in Israel in the presence of USSC representatives.
The IDF also said in a statement on Monday that the poor condition of the bullet did not allow “conclusive determination regarding the source of fire” that resulted in Abu Akleh’s death.

In a photo of the alleged bullet released by Al Jazeera, it is misshapen. According to Qatar-based outlet, the bullet ricocheted on the inside of Abu Akleh’s helmet.

“In addition to the forensic and ballistic analysis, the USSC was granted full access to both Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Palestinian Authority (PA) investigations over the last several weeks,” said the State Department. “By summarizing both investigations the USSC concluded that gunfire from IDF positions was likely responsible for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh. The USSC found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against factions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.”

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi did not confirm the American conclusion regarding culpability, but ordered the military to “continue to examine and investigate the incident while using all available means, committed to transparency and seeking out the truth.”

Prime Minister Yair Lapid responded to the U.S. statement, saying: “Tragically, hundreds of journalists have been killed in recent years in combat zones around the world. The State of Israel recognizes the importance of freedom of the press and safeguarding journalists as they carry out their duties.”

“The IDF will continue fighting terror whenever and wherever necessary. The IDF investigation was unable to determine who is responsible for the tragic death of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, but it was able to determine conclusively that there was no intention to harm her. Israel expresses sorrow over her death,” the newly minted premier said.

“As Prime Minister of Israel, I give full and unequivocal backing to the IDF soldiers who risk their lives to defend the citizens of Israel from terrorism and who work around the clock for the security of Israel,” he added.
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Defense Minister Benny Gantz also said that Israel would continue to investigate. He added that hundreds of bullets were fired at troops during the raid, and soldiers only responded to those shooting.

The Palestinian Authority suggested that the United States was protecting Israel in not providing a definitive conclusion.

“We were surprised by these statements. The technical data in our possession indicates that the condition of the shell is viable for matching with the firearm [that shot it],” PA Public Prosecutor Akram al-Khatib said in a statement.

Wasel Abu Youssef, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), told Reuters: “The truth is clear but the US administration continues to stall in announcing it. We say Israel killed Shireen Abu Akleh and it has to be held responsible for the crime it has committed.”

Last month, a bipartisan group of 25 U.S. lawmakers wrote a letter last month urging Secretary of State Antony Blinken to pressure the PA to release the bullet.

“We urge you to ask the Palestinian Authority to provide access to the forensic evidence in Abu Akleh’s death for an independent investigation so that all parties can reach a definitive conclusion about the events leading to her death, and hold all parties accountable,” the lawmakers wrote.