The Palestinian Authority says it is investigating the shooting death of Palestinian-American Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, and says there is proof that she was deliberately killed by Israeli forces.
Israel's defense chief called that "a blatant lie." Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian-American reporter for Al Jazeera's Arabic service, was shot in the head on May 11 during an Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank.
The Palestinian attorney general announced the results of his investigation at a news conference on Thursday. He says soldiers were aware journalists were in the area and that Abu Akleh was shot "directly and deliberately" as she tried to escape.
While announcing the results of his probe at a news conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Palestinian Attorney General Akram Al Khateeb said he had determined there were no militants in the immediate area where Abu Akleh was located.
“The only shooting was by the occupation forces, with the aim of killing,” he said.