Family of killed journalist Shireen Abu Akleh demand 'justice' in Washington visit

Family members press US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for independent investigation into Palestinian-American reporter's death

The family of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, including her niece Lina Abu Akleh, stand outside the State Department in Washington after meeting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. AFPShow less

The family of Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist killed in May during an Israeli raid in the West Bank, demanded an independent investigation into her death in an in-person meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday.

"We are here to demand justice for Shireen," Lina Abu Akleh, the journalist's niece, said outside the State Department building in Washington.

"Nothing short of a US investigation that leads to real accountability is acceptable, and we won’t stop until no other American or Palestinian family endures the same pain we have," she said in a tweet.

Ms Abu Akleh said Mr Blinken had committed to being transparent with the family and that they expect to be continually updated.

They also demanded an in-person meeting with US President Joe Biden and for the Department of Justice to launch a new investigation into her death, Politico first reported.

“Since the president didn’t come to us in Jerusalem to hear first-hand our grief, outrage and concerns regarding his administration’s lack of response to Shireen’s extrajudicial killing, we decided to come to him,” Abu Akleh's brother Tony, niece Lina and nephew Victor said in a statement.

The family of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh leave the State Department in Washington after meeting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. AFP

“We hope that our time in Washington this week will bring us closer to justice and accountability for Shireen.”

Speaking to Politico, the Abu Akleh family said the “least” the Biden administration could do was launch an independent, credible and transparent investigation, which Lina Abu Akleh claims it has not done.

“If we allow Shireen’s killing to be swept under the rug, we send a message that the lives of US citizens abroad don’t matter, that the lives of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation don’t matter and that the most courageous journalists in the world, those who cover the human impact of armed conflict and violence, are expendable,” the family statement reads.

A US statement earlier this month said a bullet from an Israeli soldier was “likely responsible” for the journalist's death but forensic analysis overseen by the US Security Co-ordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority found there “was no reason to believe that [the killing] was intentional”.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said Mr Blinken was "deeply appreciative of the opportunity" to meet with Abu Akleh's family.

"Not only was she an American citizen, she was a reporter whose fearless pursuit of the truth earned her the profound respect of audiences around the world," Mr Price said, adding that the US considers accountability in the case a "priority".

In a letter sent to Mr Biden and Mr Blinken, the Abu Akleh family demanded that this statement be retracted and for the White House to support the family's efforts to ensure accountability.

“The administration’s July 4th statement was an affront to justice and enabled Israel to avoid accountability for Shireen’s murder,” the family said.

In a separate investigation, the UN said its findings showed the Al Jazeera journalist had been killed by Israeli forces.

A group of US senators have also pressed the White House to answer questions on how the administration plans to ensure an investigation into Abu Akleh's death is transparent and independent.

Abu Akleh's family this week will also meet members of the US Congress, including Rashida Tlaib and Chris Van Hollen, Politico reported.

Antony Blinken says US will 'follow facts' on killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh