(WASHINGTON D.C., 7/5/2022) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the State Department’s attempt to “whitewash and excuse” the Israeli government’s murder of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. CAIR also repeated its call for the FBI to launch an investigation into her death.
In a statement issued yesterday, the State Department said that an analysis supervised by the U.S. Security Coordinator (USCC) into the origin of the bullet that killed Abu Akleh was “inconclusive.” The USCC also found that gunfire from IDF positions was “likely responsible” for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh, but “found no reason to believe that this was intentional.”
In a statement, CAIR Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“Racism and politics are now the only explanations for the State Department’s latest attempt to whitewash and excuse the Israeli government’s murder of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
“The State Department’s ridiculous claim that there is no reason to believe that Israeli snipers were acting intentionally when they fired numerous shots at clearly-marked journalists defies eyewitness testimony, the findings of numerous media outlets and basic common sense.
“We again call on the Biden administration to order an independent FBI investigation into Shireen Abu Akleh’s murder so that the Israeli snipers responsible for her killing can be identified and prosecuted, just as our nation would do with anyone else who murdered an American journalist overseas.”
He noted that CAIR recently welcomed a call by 24 members of the U.S. Senate calling on the Biden administration to ensure direct U.S. involvement in the investigation of Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing.
SEE: CAIR Welcomes Call by 24 Senators for Direct U.S. Involvement in Probe of Israel’s Assassination of Palestinian-American Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh
Early last month, CAIR and its Georgia chapter welcomed a letter from Senators Jon Ossoff (D-Georgia) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah) calling for a full investigation into the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh.
SEE: CAIR, CAIR-GA Welcome Letter from Sens. Ossoff and Romney Calling for ‘Full and Transparent’ Investigation into Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh
In May, CAIR welcomed a congressional letter signed by 57 members of the U.S. House Representatives calling on the State Department and the FBI to investigate the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh.
SEE: CAIR Welcomes Congressional Demand for FBI Probe of Israel’s Assassination of Palestinian-American Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational
Subscribe to CAIR’s Email List
https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters
Subscribe to CAIR’s Twitter Feed
http://twitter.com/cairnational
Subscribe to CAIR’s YouTube Channel
Follow CAIR on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/cair_national/
Donate to CAIR
https://action.cair.com/a/donate
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
If you would like to join CAIR’s media list, please sign up here: https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters — For more information, email: info@cair.com, CC ihooper@cair.com
END
CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com