American-Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, killed on May 11 in the occupied West Bank, was “likely” the victim of a fire from an Israeli position, according to an American analysis released Monday July 4 by the State Department. Experts, however, have “no reason” to believe it was an intentional shooting.

The study could not come to a definitive conclusion as to the origin of the bullet that killed the Al-Jazeera correspondent, who was covering an Israeli military operation in Jenin that day, because the projectile was “very damaged “, specifies the press release.

The death of Ms. Abu Akleh, a well-regarded and well-known journalist for the Qatari channel, has shaken the Middle East. Both the Palestinian Authority and Al-Jazeera and Qatar (the country that funds the TV channel) immediately accused the Israeli army of killing her.

Following the statement’s release, Palestinian Authority Civil Affairs Minister Hussein Al-Sheikh said, “We do not accept attempts to hide the truth and we are not afraid to accuse Israel (…), which bears responsibility for the assassination of Shireen Abu Akleh. The journalist’s family said they were “appalled”.

The Israeli army claims to have examined the bullet

Ramallah, who refused to hand over the projectile to the Israeli army, had finally entrusted it to the Americans for expertise, the latter having undertaken to return it to the Palestinians. But on Monday, the Israeli army said it had conducted a “ballistic examination” of the bullet itself – 5.56 millimeter caliber and fired by a Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic rifle, according to the Palestinian prosecutor – in the presence of “American security officials”.

On Sunday, a Palestinian official asked Agence France-Presse (AFP), on condition of anonymity, about the possibility of “trusting the Americans”, since Israel could examine the ball entrusted in the USA. Israel continues to claim that it is impossible to know the exact origin of the shooting, Israeli or Palestinian, and still rules out a deliberate shooting.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights concluded on June 24 that the Israeli army was responsible; an investigation dismissed as “baseless” by Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz. For their analysis, US authorities say they have had “full access” to investigations by Israeli forces and the Palestinian Authority in recent weeks.

“The United States…continues to encourage cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in this important matter” and “urges accountability” in the matter, the diplomatic spokesman added. American, Ned Price, Monday. These latest developments come less than ten days before US President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel and the West Bank, Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, as part of his first tour of the Middle East since joining the White House. .