Blinken Dismisses Israeli Responsibility for Murdering Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh

by Stephen Lendman

Both wings of the US war party are dismissive toward Palestinian rights and ordinary people everywhere.

On virtually everything related to Israel, the empire of lies supports the worst of its high crimes — including slow-motion genocide against long-suffering Palestinians, imprisoning and torturing them for defending their rights, as well as its targeted assassinations to silence voices it wants suppressed.

While quick to falsely condemn Russia and other nations free from its control for things they had nothing to do with, the Biden regime goes out of its way to whitewash the worst of US/NATO and Israeli high crimes.

Responding to Israel's cold-blooded murder of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, the State Department called for Israel to investigate itself — knowing whitewash follows whenever this happens.

In the aftermath of her assassination by an Israeli sniper, here's an exchange between journalist Matt Lee and interventionist Blinken's so-called spokesman Price in which he ducked questions asked to protect Israel:

"(W)hen you call for 'an immediate and thorough investigation, who exactly do you want to do the investigating," Lee asked?

Instead of answering the question, Price responded:

"(I)t is important to us that those who are responsible for her death be held responsible, that full accountability be ensured in this case (sic)."

"(B)ut my question is not that," Lee stressed, adding:

"My question is who do you think can conduct a credible investigation into her death that would be accepted by all parties, including the US."

Again ducking the question, Price said he's "not going to prejudge where any investigation may go (sic)."

"It is important…that the investigation be thorough, that it be comprehensive, that it be transparent, and importantly, that investigations end with full accountability and those responsible for her death being held responsible for their actions (sic)."

Lee tried again asking:

"(D)o you want the Palestinians to be involved in the investigation?"

"The IDF — responsible for assassinating Abu Akleh — announced an investigation (sic)," Price responded.

The exchange continued with Price's refusal to give a straight answer to Lee's questions in support of Israel — no matter its indisputable guilt of committing cold-blooded murder.

The Biden regime's support for an Israeli self-investigation of Abu Akleh's killing de facto backs whitewash, how things always turn out when the IDF or Israeli regimes investigate themselves.

During the Biden regime's ongoing summit for some of the Americas alone — hemispheric nations free from US control excluded — Blinken was asked about Abu Akleh's murder.

Ducking the issue as it should be addressed like Price, he called for "for an independent, credible investigation (sic)," adding: 

"When that investigation happens, we will follow the facts, wherever they lead (sic)."

The above is code language for Israeli self-examination whitewash in less than so many words, what the Biden regime supports.

Rubbing salt in the reality of Israeli cold-blooded murder, Blinken turned truth on its head by falsely claiming that indisputable facts about Abu Akleh's assassination "have not yet been established (sic)."

Eyewitnesses confirmed that an Israeli sniper murdered her in cold blood.

A CNN probe into her killing surprisingly came to the same conclusion, saying:

IDF snipers "were shooting directly at journalists" — even though they "were wearing protective blue vests that identified them as members of the news media."

"New evidence suggests that Shireen Abu Akleh was killed in a targeted attack by Israeli forces."

She was shot in the head below her  helmet and above her protective vest.

According to evidence discovered by CNN, "including two videos of the scene of the shooting, there was no active combat, nor any Palestinian militants, near Abu Akleh in the moments leading up to her death."

"Videos obtained by CNN, corroborated by testimony from eight eyewitnesses, an audio forensic analyst and an explosive weapons expert, suggest that Abu Akleh was shot dead in a targeted attack by Israeli forces."

According to weapons expert Chris Cobb-Smith:

"The relatively tight grouping of rounds indicate Shireen was intentionally targeted with aimed shots and was not the victim of random or stray fire."

Israel initially ducked responsibility by falsely blaming Palestinians for the IDF's cold-blooded murder of Abu Akleh.

After the Bennett regime said a probe would be conducted into the incident, the IDF refuted the idea of holding one.

On Monday, GOP Senator Mitt Romney and Dem Senator Jon Ossoff called for a "full and transparent investigation" into Abu Akleh's murder.

By letter to interventionist Blinken, they said the following:

"We are deeply disturbed by the killing of an American journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot to death while reporting near the city of Jenin in the West Bank on May 11, 2022."

"We urge that the State Department ensure there is a full and transparent investigation and accountability for Ms. Akleh's death."

"The killing of a US citizen and of a journalist engaged in the work of reporting in a conflict zone is unacceptable."

"All over the world, journalists pursue truth and accountability at great personal risk."

"Press freedom is a core American value (sic), and we cannot accept impunity when journalists are killed in the line of duty."

"We insist that the (Biden regime) ensure a full and transparent investigation is completed and that justice is served for Ms. Akleh's death."

"Please provide a detailed update on the progress of this effort within 30 days."

Since Abu Akleh was murdered by an Israeli sniper almost a month ago, the Biden and Bennett regimes have gone all out to stonewall an investigation as it should be conducted — to avoid laying blame where it belongs.

In late May, Al Jazeera said the following:

It "formed an international legal coalition that consists of its legal team along with international legal experts."

"The coalition is preparing a complete case dossier to be submitted to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court," adding:

The broadcaster's case file will also call for the ICC to rule on the destruction of its Gaza office by Israel during its 11-day war of aggression on the Strip last May.

Condemning Israel's cold-blooded killing of Abu Akleh, the IDF breached Article 8 of the International Criminal Court, stating:

Assaulting or killing a noncombatant in a war zone or anywhere else is a war crime.

Before her assassination, Al Jazeera's Abu Akleh covered Occupied Palestine for the past 25 years.

Like many other Palestinian journalists Israel targeted since establishment of the Jewish state, the Bennett regime and IDF wanted her silenced.

In late May, Al Jazeera said it "vows to follow every path to achieve justice for Shireen, and ensure those responsible for her killing are brought to justice and held accountable in all international justice and legal platforms and courts.

On Wednesday, the broadcaster once again stressed the following:

"Numerous witnesses and probes by media outlets and rights groups concluded that Abu Akleh was killed by Israeli forces."

"Al Jazeera Media Network said shortly after the incident last month that the journalist was 'assassinated in cold blood' by Israeli forces."

The above reality is indisputable.

At the same time, the likelihood of Israeli accountability for cold-blooded murder is virtually nil — especially not for anyone involved in ordering what happened.