RAMALLAH: The Palestinian Authority said on Thursday its investigation into the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh showed that she was shot by an Israeli soldier in a "deliberate murder".
Israel angrily denied the accusation and said it was continuing its own investigations into the death of Abu Akleh, who died on May 11 while she was covering an Israeli military raid in the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli army had said previously that she might have been shot accidentally by one of its soldiers or by a Palestinian in an exchange of fire.
Palestinian Attorney General Akram Al-Khatib told reporters that its enquiry showed there had been no soldiers close to Abu Akleh when she died.
"The only source of fire in that place came from the occupation forces with the intention to kill," Al-Khatib said, referring to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
He added that Abu Akleh, who had been wearing a helmet and a press vest that clearly marked her as a journalist, had tried to flee with some fellow reporters as the first shots rang out. "It represents a war crime," Al-Khatib said.
Qatar's Al Jazeera TV Network said it would refer the killing to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz rejected the findings.
"Any claim that the IDF intentionally harms journalists or uninvolved civilians, is a blatant lie," he wrote on Twitter.
He reiterated his call for the Palestinians to cooperate with Israel in the investigation and hand over the bullet for ballistic tests to see if it matched an Israeli military gun.
The Palestinians say they do not trust Israel and have refused to hold a joint probe.
Al-Khatib said tests showed that the bullet that killed Abu Akleh was a 5.56 mm round fired from a Ruger Mini-14 semiautomatic rifle, which is used by the Israeli military.
That same 5.56 calibre can also be fired from M-16 rifles that are carried by many Palestinian military. Al-Khatib did not say how he was sure it had come from an Israeli rifle.
Israel has said the only way to be sure if it was fired by one of its soldiers was to analyse the bullet and see if the markings on it matched the barrel of an Israeli gun.
"I continue to call on the PA to hand over the bullet and findings. We are prepared and willing to conduct an investigation in collaboration with international actors," Gantz said on Thursday.
Reuters
Fri May 27 2022
Artist Jaber Abbas, 35 years old, applies final touches to a mural that he painted to pay tribute to Al Jazeera journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead during an Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank, in Nazareth, Israel. - REUTERS
Tragedi kepala air Lembah Maksina: 6 dikhuatiri lemas, dua cedera
Sembilan peserta river trekking pula selamat selepas terperangkap di Lembah Maksina, Makuau, Lahad Datu akibat banjir kilat malam tadi.
TH sedia sepenuhnya santuni 31,600 jemaah haji
Persediaan Tabung Haji kini mencapai skala 90 peratus lengkap, sementara 10 peratus lagi menanti kedatangan KT jemaah pertama pada 9 Mei.
P S Nathan umum lepaskan jawatan Presiden MTBC selepas 50 tahun
P S Nathan melepaskan jawatannya sebagai Presiden MTBC selepas 50 tahun menerajui badan sukan itu.
Kerajaan Sabah komited bina LRA di Pulau Banggi - Hajiji
Kerajaan Sabah komited untuk menyelesaikan masalah air yang dihadapi oleh penduduk menerusi pembinaan sebuah LRA baharu khusus untuk Pulau Banggi.
Piala Thomas: China kecewakan Indonesia, rangkul juara kali ke-11
Kejayaan ini diraikan beberapa jam selepas tuan rumah merangkul kejuaraan Piala Uber kali ke-16 selepas turut mengalahkan Indonesia 3-0.
UAE umumkan kejayaan hantar 400 tan bantuan makanan kepada penduduk Gaza
Penyampaian dan pengagihan makanan untuk menyelamatkan nyawa itu bagi 120,000 orang, sejajar dengan komitmen UAE.
Tiga maut, empat cedera pacuan empat roda terbabas, terhumban dalam parit
Insiden berlaku berhampiran Rumah Ngambang di Batu 72, Suai, Niah dekat Miri.
Tiada kesan sampingan daripada vaksin COVID-19 AstraZeneca di Indonesia - Suruhanjaya
Tiada laporan diterima mengenai kes trombosis dengan sindrom "thrombocytopenia" yang dikaitkan dengan vaksin COVID-19 AstraZeneca di Indonesia.
Johor peruntuk lebih RM1.9 juta sedia kemudahan Wi-Fi Premium Maju Johor
Kerajaan Johor memperuntukkan lebih RM1.9 juta bagi menyediakan kemudahan Wi-Fi Premium Maju Johor di 63 hotspot melibatkan 23 lokasi bermula Julai ini.
Kaum India jangan undi ikut emosi, terpengaruh hasutan boikot PRK KKB - Mugilaan
Komuniti India dinasihat perlu memanfaatkan undi dengan memilih wakil rakyat yang benar-benar dapat memberikan perkhidmatan terbaik.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Al Jazeera ulangi ikrar bela kematian wartawan Shireen Abu Akleh
Al Jazeera akan mencari keadilan kepada Shireen dengan mendesak melalui pelbagai cara untuk memastikan pembunuhnya diheret ke pengadilan.
Buat pertama kali, Israel minta maaf atas kematian wartawan Shireen Abu Akleh
IDF mengakui, terdapat 'kemungkinan besar' Shireen ditembak oleh tentera Israel.
Rakyat Palestin memperingati kematian wartawan Shireen Abu Akleh
Majlis perbandaran Ramallah merancang meletakkan batu asas di muzium yang didedikasikan buat Shireen Abu Akleh.
Palestin serah peluru sebabkan kematian wartawan Al Jazeera kepada AS
Peluru itu tidak akan diserahkan kepada pihak berkuasa Israel.
Upacara peringatan diadakan untuk Shireen Abu Akleh
Al-Jazeera berjanji akan meneruskan perjuangan bagi membawa keadilan kepada Shireen.
Tindakan Israel guna kekerasan ketika pengebumian wartawan Shireen Abu Akleh 'mengejutkan' - Ketua Hak Asasi Manusia PBB
"Rakaman memaparkan polis Israel menyerang orang yang berkabung ketika pengebumian wartawan Shireen Abu Akleh sangat mengejutkan."