Three sources with knowledge of the letter and a draft copy of the letter obtained by The Intercept said that a pair of congressional Democrats are circulating a letter demanding an FBI investigation into the killing of a Palestinian American journalist.
“[G]iven the tenuous situation in the region and the conflicting reports surrounding the death of Ms. Abu Akleh, we request the State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) launch an investigation.”
The three sources who asked for anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the matter said that the two congressmen were in the process of gathering signatures to the letter. The letter and the Indiana Democrat's involvement were confirmed by a Carson spokesman.
The State Department should determine if the killing of an American journalist in Israeli-occupied territory violated any U.S. laws, according to a draft letter addressed to the FBI Director and Secretary of State.
A draft copy of the letter states, "We welcome the actions and statements taken so far by the U.S. Department of State supporting a thorough investigation by the Israeli government." We want the U.S. Department of State to determine if any U.S. laws were violated.
A prominent Al Jazeera journalist, Abu Akleh, was shot and killed on Wednesday while reporting on an Israeli military raid on a home in the city of Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. She was killed by the Israeli military, which initially blamed the killing on Palestinian militant, but later conceded that an Israeli soldier might have been responsible.
Israeli police beat mourners, including the pallbearers, causing them to drop the casket and sparking international outrage. Israeli police said mourners had been chanting nationalist slogans and waving Palestinian flags. An official account for the Israeli police posted drone footage that was edited to make it appear as though a funeral attendee threw a rock.
Israel, which has occupied the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip for more than half a century, has a history of attacking journalists. The Associated Press was housed in a tower that was destroyed during the assault on the Gaza Strip. Hamas vociferously denied the Israeli government's claim that it used the tower as an intelligence outpost.
Under Israeli occupation, Palestinian journalists without international passports fare worse. The offices of Palestinian outlets were destroyed by Israel. Palestinian journalists were beaten and fired upon with rubber bullets by Israeli authorities during the same period of unrest in Jerusalem. Palestinian journalists are often charged with crimes for doing their work.
Not everyone in Washington foreign policy circles was pleased with the praise of remarks from the State Department. A senior foreign policy adviser to a senator took a statement by a deputy secretary of state when he criticized Israeli police for entering the funeral procession. They beat them. The Secretary of State should be able to say that.
The letter ends with the words, "We, the undersigned Members of Congress, urge you to uphold." Americans reporting abroad have a duty to us. We are looking forward to your response.
Update: May 16, 2022, 5:42 p.m. ET
This story has been updated to include confirmation from Carson’s office of the letter.
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