OCCUPIED WEST BANK — The Committee to Protect Journalists demanded a public progress update from U.S. authorities on the FBI investigation into the Israeli military's killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. CPJ sent an open letter to the Department of Justice and FBI chief Kash Patel calling for a status update, a commitment to a timeline, and the public release of the investigation's findings.
Abu Akleh, a 51-year-old Palestinian-American longtime television correspondent for Al Jazeera Arabic, was shot dead on May 11, 2022, while covering Israeli army raids in the West Bank city of Jenin. She was wearing a clearly marked press vest when she was killed.
CPJ said the lack of concrete progress represents a failure by the U.S. government to respond to the killing of one of its citizens by a foreign military, noting that there have been no formal interviews with witnesses and no signs of FBI activity to gather evidence in Israel or Palestine.
"The effectively stagnant status of this case is inconsistent with ensuring the security of US citizens anywhere in the world," the group said in the letter. It added that the investigation needs to be impartial and independent, free from political considerations.
Israel initially accused Palestinian fighters of responsibility for her death. The Israeli military later stated that it was not possible to unequivocally determine the source of the gunfire that hit Abu Akleh, but said there was a high possibility that she was hit by Israeli gunfire. Separate investigations by CNN, the Associated Press, and The Washington Post concluded that she was deliberately targeted.
Abu Akleh's family said in the letter that "Despite the passage of time, justice remains elusive," and warned that "The lack of justice sends a dangerous message that journalists can be targeted without consequence."
Since Abu Akleh's killing, Israel has killed 258 journalists and media workers, according to CPJ. Israel has acknowledged killing some journalists, alleging they had links to armed groups, allegations the journalists' employers deny. CPJ described those allegations as "deadly smears."
"The prevailing culture of complete impunity enjoyed by Israel is a direct factor in the continued targeting of journalists without deterrence," Sara Qudah, CPJ's regional director, said. "Without an independent investigation and real accountability, such attacks will only continue to escalate, emboldening those who seek to silence the truth through violence."