News|Israel-Palestine conflictColonel says US watered down report on Shireen Abu Akleh’s killingColonel Steve Gabavics tells New York Times that evidence an Israeli soldier intentionally shot journalist was shrugged off by US government.
A former U.S. colonel has raised concerns regarding the official U.S. statement about the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. The statement, issued by the U.S. State Department, described the incident as a result of "tragic circumstances"…
A former U.S. colonel has raised concerns regarding the official U.S. statement about the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. The statement, issued by the U.S. State Department, described the incident as a result of "tragic circumstances" and stated that there was no reason to believe it was intentional. The colonel, Steve Gabavics, has publicly criticized this assessment, suggesting that it does not accurately reflect the findings of the report he helped compile.
At the time of the incident on May 11, 2022, Gabavics was part of the Office of the United States Security Coordinator, which is responsible for overseeing security cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian forces. The office was tasked with compiling a report on the killing, which informed the State Department’s official statement.
The report drew upon investigations conducted by Israeli and Palestinian authorities, site visits, and a ballistic analysis. However, the U.S. has not released an independent investigation. Although the FBI launched a probe in 2022, its status remains undisclosed.
State Department, described the incident as a result of "tragic circumstances" and stated that there was no reason to believe it was intentional.
Gabavics has expressed his belief that the shooting was intentional, citing Israeli military radio communications indicating awareness of journalists' presence, and the precision of the shots fired. He reported these findings to General Fenzel, who led the report compilation. Despite this, Gabavics claims that his conclusions were not included in the final assessment shared with the State Department.
General Fenzel, in response to these claims, has defended the integrity of the report, stating that the conclusions were based on the full set of facts available.
Gabavics has noted the perceived bias toward Israel in U.S. policy, pointing out the significant military aid provided to Israel. He has highlighted that the incident involving Abu Akleh has had a lasting impact on him due to the comprehensive evidence available during the investigation.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.
