British-Palestinian investigation concludes Abu Akleh's killing 'deliberate'

By Awad al-Rujoub

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – A new investigation conducted by British and Palestinian groups concluded that Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was deliberately killed by Israeli forces.

The London-based Forensic Architecture and Palestinian Al-Haq rights group said the findings of their joint investigation were submitted on Tuesday to the International Criminal Court (ICC) by Abu Akleh's family.

“The investigation was a scientific and documented study that concluded that the killing was deliberate by the Israeli army,’ Shawn Jabarin, the director of Al-Haq rights group, told Anadolu Agency.

He said the forensic engineering unit of the Forensic Architecture group has reviewed the field where Abu Akleh was killed and gathered all related documents, photos and videos, adding that the probe lasted for several days.

The investigation also examined the Israeli sniper’s precise angle of fire, and concluded that the sniper was able to clearly tell that there were journalists in the area.

The complaint to ICC by Abu Akleh's family was supported by the Palestinian Press Syndicate and the International Federation of Journalists.

Abu Akleh, 51, a Palestinian-American journalist, was killed on May 11, and the Palestinian Health Ministry said she was shot in the head while covering an Israeli military raid in the West Bank city of Jenin.

Several leading media agencies, including Al Jazeera, CNN, Associated Press, Washington Post, and the New York Times, conducted their own investigations, which all came to an end that Abu Akleh was killed by an Israeli bullet.

Earlier this month, the Israeli army said Abu Akleh was likely killed by "wrong" gunfire from an Israeli soldier.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar