2 yıl önce

Palestine demands Israel hand over gun that 'murdered' Abu Akleh

"We have refused to hand over the bullet to them, and we even demand that they hand over the weapon that murdered Shireen Abu Akleh," says Palestinian PM Mohammed Shtayyeh.

Palestine says Abu Akleh was killed using a Ruger Mini-14, a semi-automatic weapon, by an Israeli trooper.

Palestine has called on Israel to hand over the gun used by its trooper that "murdered" Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

"We have refused to hand over the bullet to them, and we even demand that they hand over the weapon that murdered Shireen Abu Akleh," Palestinian PM Mohammed Shtayyeh said at a ceremony in the occupied West Bank town of Ramallah on Sunday to mark 40 days since her killing.

Abu Akleh was shot and killed on May 11 while covering an Israeli army raid in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.

A Palestinian probe said that an Israeli soldier shot dead the veteran Palestinian-American reporter, echoing findings by Al Jazeera and several other major news organisations.

Eyewitnesses second such claims. They say Abu Akleh was shot dead in "cold blood" by the Israeli troops.

Israel has asked the Palestinian Authority to provide the bullet extracted from her body so Israel can conduct its own ballistic investigation.

Palestine says it Israel's "sham probe" can't be trusted.

Israel has offered to do so with Palestinian and American representatives present.

'Seeking justice'

Israel's army has said that it has not concluded whether Abu Akleh –– who was wearing a bullet-proof vest marked "Press" when she was shot –– was killed by one of its troops or stray Palestinian gunfire.

The Palestinian probe concluded that Abu Akleh was killed using a Ruger Mini-14, a semi-automatic weapon.

Israel's army has said its investigation into her killing has centred on one soldier who fired near the area where Abu Akleh was killed.

Abu Akleh's brother Anton told the Ramallah ceremony – where photos of the reporter were displayed –– that the family was "only seeking justice for Shireen".

Israel's army has said it has not yet concluded whether one of its soldiers will face criminal charges over Abu Akleh's killing.

But the army's top lawyer has said such charges would be unlikely given the circumstances surrounding her killing that, according to the military, amounted to active combat.

SOURCE: AFP