Thursday, May 19, 2022
Elder of Ziyon
The Israeli army's Military Police Criminal Investigation Division does not plan to investigate the fatal shooting of Shireen Abu Akleh. The Palestinian-American journalist for Al Jazeera was killed during clashes between Israel Defense Forces soldiers and Palestinian gunmen in Jenin on May 11.
At the end of the second intifada, then-Military Advocate General, Maj. Gen. Avichai Mendelblit, instituted a protocol whereby in most cases in which Palestinian civilians were killed in the West Bank and there was a suspicion that it was caused by Israeli gunfire, a probe by the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division – better known by its Hebrew acronym, Metzah – was opened.The nonprofit organization Yesh Din said the decision not to authorize the military police to investigate the incident showed that “the army law enforcement mechanisms no longer even bother to give the appearance of investigating. Eighty percent of the complaints that are submitted are dismissed without a criminal investigation. It appears that politics and image count for more than truth and justice. An army that investigates itself in such a serious case as this again proves that it is incapable or unwilling to undertake a fair and effective probe.”
At first glance, it sure sounds like Israel is trying to do a coverup.
Until you start to focus on the word "criminal" in "criminal investigation." At this point in time, without the forensics data from the bullet and based on the testimony of the soldiers who were there - verified from open sources - they were only shooting at nearby terrorists.
That is not a crime unless there is gross negligence, which there is no evidence of.
Buried in the article is this paragraph:
The Israel Defense Forces spokesman said in response: “During arrests undertaken on the Jenin refugee camp, heavy and uncontrolled fire was directed at IDF forces, as were more accurate shooting and the detonation of explosives that damaged army vehicles and occurred close to troops. The circumstances in which the incident occurred will be studied in an operational investigation being conducted by the head of the commando unit."
There is an ongoing investigation in the circumstances. If that investigation uncovers evidence of a crime, then a criminal investigation will follow.
And this is implied in the IDF statement to the Jerusalem Post:
In view of the nature of the operational activity, which included intense fighting and extensive exchanges of fire, it was decided that there was no need to open a Military Police investigation at this stage. The decision was made in accordance with the Judea and Samaria investigative policy, as approved by the Supreme Court, according to which it does [not] require the opening of a criminal investigation into the death of a Palestinian during operational activity with real combat, unless there is real suspicion of a criminal offence.
If the investigation points to criminal conduct, then a criminal investigation will be opened. Which is pretty much how every criminal investigation worldwide is done.
This misleading headline is already prompting Israel haters to scream that the IDF is covering up for its "murder" of Shireen Abu Akleh. Israel-haters in the media and anti-Israel activists are going crazy.
This is deliberate deception on the part of Haaretz.
UPDATE: And, proof that the investigation is going on:
The Israeli military has identified a soldier’s rifle that may have killed Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, but says it cannot be certain unless the Palestinians turn over the bullet for analysis, a military official says today.
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