Washington calls for a "comprehensive and transparent" investigation into the killing of Shireen Abu Aqla

The US State Department confirmed, on Tuesday, that it "want a comprehensive and transparent investigation" into the killing of the Palestinian-American journalist, Shirin Abu Aqleh, who was killed during press coverage of an Israeli security operation in the West Bank this month.

The ministry's spokesman, Ned Price, said that Washington "does not believe that the International Criminal Court is the appropriate place to investigate the assassination of Abu Akleh."

In statements to reporters, Price added that Washington called on "the Palestinians and the Israelis to cooperate in the investigation of the journalist's murder."

The Palestinian Authority and a number of colleagues of the late journalist accuse the Israeli army of shooting her while she was covering an army security operation in Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank on May 11.

On Monday, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it had sent a letter to the International Criminal Court "regarding the crimes committed by the occupying power against our people, foremost of which is the crime of execution of the martyr Shireen Abu Aqleh."

And the Israeli army announced, on Monday, that if it was found that one of its soldiers had shot the journalist, “there is no immediate suspicion of criminal activity,” according to the preliminary investigation.

"Given the killing of Ms. Shirin Abu Akleh in the middle of an active combat zone, there can be no immediate suspicion of criminal activity in the absence of further evidence," IDF Prosecutor Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi said in a statement.

The Israeli army says that there is no evidence that Abu Aqila was killed by the army's fire, and it is likely that she was killed by "Palestinian bullets."

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