MORE than 50 United States lawmakers called on the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate the killing of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh in the West Bank, despite Israeli promises of a probe.

The 57 House members, largely left-leaning Democrats and led by Representative Andre Carson, noted that Abu Akleh held US citizenship and pointed to divergent accounts on how she died on May 11.

“Given the tenuous situation in the region and conflicting reports surrounding the death of Abu Akleh, we request the State Department and FBI launch an investigation into her death.

“As an American, Abu Akleh was entitled to the full protections afforded to US citizens living abroad,” they wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and FBI Director Christopher Wray.

Al Jazeera and Palestinians said Israeli forces killed Abu Akleh, a prominent journalist, as she covered an Israeli army raid in Jenin, in the north of the occupied West Bank.

Israel said she may have been killed by Palestinian gunfire or a stray shot from an Israeli soldier.

Israeli ambassador to Washington Michael Herzog said he is “disheartened” by the letter, adding that Israel has sought a joint investigation with the Palestinian Authority (PA) that will include a US observer role.

“Our call was flatly rejected by the PA, which is cynically using Abu Akleh’s death to instigate an anti-Israel propaganda campaign.”

He called instead for Congress to press the Palestinian side on an investigation, adding that Israeli troops “will never intentionally target members of the press”.

The State Department said it believes Israel can conduct a credible investigation, but Blinken has also criticised the Israeli police for its use of force during Abu Akleh’s funeral. – AFP, May 21, 2022.