Israeli killers remain unpunished four years after Shireen Abu Akleh’s assassination

The family of Shireen Abu Akleh has said that no one has been brought to justice four years after the Palestinian-American journalist was shot dead by Israeli troops.

They sharply criticized the United States for failing to pursue accountability for her murder.

In a statement on Monday, Abu Akleh’s family warned against the persistent culture of impunity in the Israeli military.

“The ongoing impunity sends a dangerous message that journalists can be targeted without consequence,” Abu Akleh’s niece, Lina Abu Akleh, told Arab News.

“We have seen that pattern repeated in Gaza and Lebanon for more than two years now. We are deeply disappointed by the lack of meaningful action by the US administration,” she added.

Noting that Abu Akleh was a US citizen, Lina emphasized that Washington has an obligation to pursue accountability with the same urgency it shows for any other American killed abroad.

“The lack of progress in the FBI investigation into Shireen’s killing further demonstrates the government’s failure to deliver justice,” she said.

“We want the US to provide a public update on the investigation and ensure full transparency. We also call for the sanctioning of the Israeli military unit responsible for killing Shireen and for holding the entire system accountable. Ending Israel’s impunity is essential to achieving justice for Shireen.”

Lina vowed that the family would continue its fight for justice.“As a family, we reaffirm today what we have said from the beginning: We will not stop. We will continue to pursue justice for Shireen through all available avenues until those responsible are held accountable,” she said.

On Thursday, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged US authorities to relaunch their investigation into Abu Akleh’s murder.

In a letter to the US Department of Justice, the organization called for a “public progress update” on the case.

“Although the FBI reportedly opened an investigation into her killing in November 2022, it has made no demonstrable progress,” the letter stated.

CPJ added that it was “not aware that any formal interviews have been conducted with witnesses,” despite multiple witnesses expressing willingness to cooperate.

“This troubling lack of concrete progress — four years after Abu Akleh’s death — represents a profound failure of the US government to respond promptly and impartially to the killing of one of its citizens by a foreign military.”

The 51-year-old prominent reporter was killed on May 11, 2022, while covering an Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.

She was wearing a clearly marked “Press” vest and a helmet at the time. She was rushed to a hospital in Jenin in critical condition and was pronounced dead shortly afterward, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Investigations by the United Nations, CNN, The New York Times, and Al Jazeera all concluded that Abu Akleh was killed — likely deliberately — by Israeli troops.

Israeli forces also attacked mourners at Abu Akleh’s funeral in occupied East al-Quds, injuring dozens of people.

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