After a lengthy investigation by the IDF, Israel concluded that the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was “most likely” caused by an Israeli soldier, but that there had been no “intent” to kill her. And indeed, it would have been senseless for the IDF to deliberately kill a journalist, which would only have brought down on the Jewish state worldwide condemnation (condemnation which, despite its conclusion that the killing was an error, Israel has nonetheless received). At first, the Biden administration accepted the Israeli conclusions, and announced that publicly, but then, in a most peculiar about-face, more than a month later announced that it would after all be conducting an investigation of its own into the death of Abu Akleh, a clear insult to the Israeli investigators whose findings, once accepted by the Bidenites, were now being questioned. Israel was naturally perturbed at this change by the Bidenites, but there was nothing they could do except to acquiesce in this second, American, investigation of Abu Akleh’s death.
Now comes a second insult by the Bidenites to America’s closest ally. During a shootout in Jenin, one of the two hotbeds of terrorists — the other is Nablus — IDF soldiers were in a firefight with Palestinian gunmen who were shooting at them from rooftops. The IDF returned fire, and on one of those rooftops a 16-year-old Palestinian girl who had foolhardily been looking on at the battle was shot by an IDF soldier. That shooting took place during the famous “fog of war” when it is not always clear from where, or from exactly whom, the gunfire is coming. No civilian ought to have been out on a rooftop during that firefight, least of all remained on a rooftop when the Palestinians were firing from those rooftops all around at the IDF troops down below. It is certain that the Israelis would never have deliberately fired at a 16-year-old girl; the IDF makes enormous efforts to minimize civilian casualties, as when, before an airstrike hits a target where Hamas has hidden weapons, rocket launchers, fighters, and command-and-control centers, Israel uses emailing, telephoning, and the “knock-on-the-roof” technique to warn civilians to leave the targets about to be hit. No other army in the world makes such efforts to warn civilians. It is not surprising that Colonel Richard Kemp, a British officer who took part in five wars, has called the IDF “the most moral army in the world.”
After the death of the 16-year-old girl, the Israelis assumed responsibility for her killing, detailed the circumstances of her death, and promised a complete investigation.
That ought to have been the end of the matter. The American government should have declared itself “satisfied” to await the results of Israel’s investigation of the death of 16-year-old Jana Zakarna.
But that is not what happened. Instead, behaving as if it had a right to lecture Israel about what it “must do,” the Bidenites told Israel – treating it as an American satrap, and not a sovereign state – that Israel must “hold itself accountable.” But by that time Israel had already completed an initial review, and had said that there was a “high probability” that an IDF soldier had been responsible for Jana Zakarna’s death; there was clearly no intention on Israel’s part to evade responsibility. The American demand was unnecessary, and demeaning to Israel, signaling that the Bidenites were not satisfied with Israel’s explanation so far. Why not? Does Israel have a record of lying and evading responsibility? No, it does not.
“US demands Israeli accountability for death of teenager in IDF Jenin operation,” Jerusalem Post, December 13, 2022:
The United States called on Israel Monday night to hold itself accountable for the shooting the day before that killed a 16-year-old Palestinian girlduring armed clashes between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli forces in Jenin.
The IDF said that an initial review of the incident found a “high probability” that Jana Zakarneh was killed by the accidental fire of IDF soldiers directed at Palestinian gunmen during the battle.
Further, the review found that the 16-year-old was likely on a roof nearby other rooves [sic] where gunmen were specifically firing on IDF soldiers who were doing their best to return fire in the midst of the “fog of battle.”
Nevertheless, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said Monday that the US “hopes to see accountability in this case.”
“We do express our profound condolences to the family of Jana Zakarna, the young teenage girl who was killed,” Price responded. “It’s a heartbreaking incident any time you hear of a civilian being killed in these types of [military] operations.
The IDF said that it “expresses sorrow at the death of any civilians, even those who are positioned in the middle of battle and rounds of firing from both sides.”
Prime Minister Yair Lapid expressed condolences for the killing of Zakarna. The prime minister reaffirmed that the IDF investigation is at a preliminary stage, adding that he trusts IDF soldiers and security establishment officials to continue doing everything possible to avoid causing harm to uninvolved civilians.
When Ned Price said that the US “hopes to see accountability in this case,” he was making a statement that was both unnecessary, and insulting. It casts doubt (“this time we hope to see accountability from Israel because last time we did not”) on Israel’s bonafides. The implication of the words “in this case” could be taken to be a reference to the Abu Akleh case, where the Bidenites are hinting that there was insufficient “accountability” by Israel. This is flatly untrue, and the Bidenites had originally declared themselves satisfied with the results of Israel’s own investigation, only to backtrack under pressure from the Palestinians and their “progressive” supporters in Washington, and to announce that the FBI would now be conducting its own investigation. When Price says that the US “hopes to see accountability” in this case, he implies that there is reason to doubt Israel’s “accountability” in prior cases.
Instead of Ned Price saying that “the US hopes to see accountability in this case” he ought to have said this: “Israel has conducted an initial review of the incident and we must await the results of their final investigation before any further comment. The Israeli Defense Forces have expressed sorrow over the death of Jana Zakarna, as have we.”
That would strike the right note of confidence in Israel’s investigation, and of a shared sorrow over the death of the sixteen-year-old girl who, for reasons known only to her, remained on a rooftop in the midst of other rooftops filled with gunmen shooting and being shot at.
mg says
A girl standing next to a homicidist gets shot, by accident, as the Jihadist is firing at the Israelit’s from the roof, and the US demands accountability. Yet the call for all children to learn how to kill Jews, Israelis, and the attacks upon them continue with US monies helping pay for the homicidists families. So the muslims get to proceed with glorifying homicidal murdering and paying the families of the murderers after they die…. without complaint from the US, whilst the Israeli’s must be lectured about accidental killing of those hiding amongst the murderers. What a hideous insult to common sense and sensibility.
Keith O says
+1
gravenimage says
Spot on, mg.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Israel should just give ‘US’ the 🖕
DHZ says
The Biden administration has restarted the programs that send U.S. taxpayer money to Palestinians. The idea is that economic stability reduces the threat of terrorism. Both the intentions and the expectations are fantasies.
Keith O says
Perhaps Israel should make a public statement to the effect that they will not listen to what the US says until the US has a legitimate president.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Absolutely! Like the US, they too should put together a Freedom index w/ the world’s countries, and classify the US as a country of particular concern
wpm says
Why is the FBI getting involved in someone who is not American, killed in a place outside of America while they were next to a terrorist in the act of committing terror? We had rioting for the whole summer of 2020 with murder ,mayhem,, arson ,billions in property damage over 20 people killed here in American cities should the FBI try to look into some of those cases??The FBI (and the ATF ,CIA the rest of the three letter agencies in America) track record of killing bystanders is not that good ,look at Ruby Ridge ,Waco Texas ,and many others .. The FBI will use resources to pander to ,to satisfy the red green progressive democrats back home.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Yeah, I thought that the FBI was a part of the US justice department and meant to cover people breaking US law within the US, or US nationals breaking US law by conducting activities from abroad (like SBF). How does this case fall under their purview?
gravenimage says
US Demands ‘Accountability’ By Israel for the Killing of 16-Year-Old
…………………………………………
Good grief. Israel is as careful as she can be, especially given that the “Palestinians” constantly put civilians in harm’s way, often quite deliberately. But it is *never* enough.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration openly acknowledges that US taxpayer monies given to the “Palestinians” will likely be used to kill Israelis and to go to “Pay for Slay”–yet this is somehow OK.
sherc100 says
Why is the US sticking its nose into the affairs of other states? If there is an investigation, it should and will be done thoroughly by Israel. Biden has caused so much grief with his policies for the American people, so why on earth would anyone think he would be someone with whom one would consult on an issue like this, let alone listen to any advice or recommendations? Biden has always hated the Jews and the entire State of Israel. His administration needs to stay out of Israel’s policies and let Israel conduct its own investigations.