Israel has repeatedly, and publicly, called for the U.S. to be involved in the investigation of the death of the Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. But this is being denied by the Biden Administration, even though we have all heard of the Israeli request, or rather, requests. This denial is reported on here: “US says it hasn’t been asked to help in probe of Al Jazeera reporter’s killing,” Times of Israel, May 26, 2022:
Israeli officials appear to dispute State Department spokesman’s remark, insisting they’ve invited US to participate in their inquiry.
Neither Israel nor the Palestinian Authority have formally requested US assistance in the investigation into the killing of a Palestinian-American journalist in the West Bank, the State Department said Wednesday.
Let’s stop right there. What is the weasel word here? It’s “formally.” Israel, you see, may have over and again asked for a joint investigation of Abu Akleh’s death by three parties – Israel itself, the P.A., and the American government – but according to Ned Price, none of that counts until Israel makes that request “formally.” What does he have in mind? White ties and tails? The Israelis have said that in addition to asking publicly for American participation, they have also made a request “through official channels.” Shouldn’t that count as a “formal” request?
“Israel says Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was killed during a complex shootout between soldiers and Palestinian gunmen, and that only ballistic analysis of the bullet — which is held by the PA — and the soldiers’ guns, can determine if one of them fired the fatal shot.
The involvement of a third party could temper the severe distrust between the sides, allowing for a full and impartial account of what happened.
Israel has publicly called for a joint investigation with the PA, with US participation.
But this week, State Department spokesman Ned Price said he was “not aware of any request for assistance” from either side. And when asked during a press briefing Wednesday — two weeks after Abu Akleh’s death — if the US had been asked to participate or act as an observer, he stood by his previous answer.
Ned Price is a liar. But don’t blame him; he’s sent out to lie to reporters by Antony Blinken, who is intent on protecting the Palestinians. After all, we can’t have the State Department admit to the media that “we have received numerous requests from Israel, both public and through official channels, asking us to take part in a full and fair investigation, considering all of the evidence relevant to the death of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. So far the Palestinian Authority has repeatedly refused to take part, and will not allow others to examine the bullet that killed the journalist. We hope and expect, of course, that the Palestinians will change their minds, so that the investigation can proceed.”
For the nest of ninnies in the State Department, such a stark and truthful statement would never do. It would put the Palestinians on the spot. It would make Israel look good by comparison. Can’t have that, as long as the moral idiots are in the saddle, and ride mankind.
“We have made clear to both Israeli and Palestinian authorities that we expect the investigations to be transparent and impartial, a full, thorough accounting into the circumstances of the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh,” Price said.
Of course. And there is only one way to arrive at that “full, thorough accounting” into Abu Akleh’s death, which is to subject the bullet that killed her to ballistic analysis, which cannot be “transparent and impartial” as long as the Palestinians refuse to let anyone else, including the Americans, study it.
“Any American involvement would require a request from both Israel and the PA, which administers parts of the West Bank.
“Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Hayat said “Israeli officials publicly invited the United States to be part of the inquiry.” He added that “similar messages were passed on official channels,” but declined to elaborate.
What is to be done?
Here’s what: Foreign Minister Lapid himself, or Prime Minister Bennett, should deliver a speech about the investigation into the death of Shireen Abu Akleh. It should read something like this:
“It has been two weeks since the death of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. Israel would like to have a thorough investigation into her death, but this will, of course, require an examination of the bullet that killed her. The Palestinians adamantly refuse to allow us even to see the bullet, much less to subject it to a ballistic analysis. We hope that they will change their mind. We have repeatedly asked the United States to take part as the third party in a joint investigation – both publicly and through official channels. I was therefore disturbed to learn that the State Department spokesman, Ned Price, has denied that the State Department has received such a request ‘formally’ from either Israel or the Palestinians. If our numerous public requests are not enough to be considered a sufficient request in the eyes of the American State Department, then the messages that were passed through official channels certainly constitute a ‘formal request.’ I hope the Americans will use their influence with the Palestinian Authority to convince it to agree to a three-party investigation, and to provide both American and Israeli experts the opportunity to study the bullet that killed Shireen Abu Akleh. We need to find out exactly what happened.”
There. That should do it. What do you say to that, Secretary Blinken?