White House Reporter Presses Karine Jean-Pierre Over Death of Fellow Al Jazeera Journalist: ‘Feels Almost Like Our Government Doesn’t Have Our Back’

Al Jazeera White House correspondent Kimberly Halkett pressed White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre over the lack of accountability from the United States over the death of her colleague Shireen Abu Akleh.

In May, Akleh, who held U.S. citizenship, was shot and killed on May 11 while covering clashes between the Israeli Defense Forces and Palestinian gunmen at the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. She was 51 years old.

Israel announced on Monday that it has determined from its investigation into her death that it inadvertently shot and killed her. An Israel Defense Forces official told reporters ahead of the release of the findings that the military knows the soldier that “likely fired the shot.”

“It was a mistake and he is sorry for it,” said the official.

No criminal charges will be filed over the incident, according to the official.

In a Monday statement, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that the United States “welcome[s] Israel’s review of this tragic incident, and again underscore the importance of accountability in this case, such as policies and procedures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.”

During Tuesday’s White House press briefing, Halkett lamented the absence of accountability from the United States.

“The administration continues to talk about accountability, but there hasn’t been any. There have been no charges,” she said. “What is the Biden administration going to do to press for accountability? What steps are going to be taken?”

In response, Jean-Pierre said:

So what I can tell you is that we have been — we have been in constant communication, we have been very public about making sure that there is accountability. The U.S. Security Coordinator — the [USSC], as it relates to the investigation, finding that there was no reason to believe the killing was intentional and it was instead the result of tragic circumstances is based on a series of engagements and a review of the totality of the available evidence, situational and environmental factors.

Again, you know, our profound condolences go to the family. We hear their concerns. We understand their concerns. The examin- — examination was conducted by two members, again, of the [USSC] with over 42 combined years of forensic expertise.

In addition to the forensic and bal- — ballistic analysis, the [USSC] was granted full access to both Israel Defense Forces and Palestinian Authority investigation. By summarizing both investigation, the [USSC] concluded that gunfire from IDF positions was likely responsible for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh. The [USSC] found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances.

Following her response, Jean-Pierre said she had to leave. However, Halkett was able to squeeze in a follow-up question and suggested that the United States does not have the back of journalists.

“This isn’t accountability. I — how do journalists in this room read this?” said Halkett. “I mean, it feels almost like our government doesn’t have our back, that an ally can — can kill an American journalist with impunity.”

Jean-Pierre fired back:

I — I disagree. I disagree. One thing that this President [Joe Biden] has been very clear about making sure that we stand up for a journalist; we stand up for the freedom that they should be given in order to report, whether it’s here or across the globe. And — and the President has always been clear about fighting for human rights. That will never change.

He has talked about it boldly and clearly. And — and he’s talked about it with leaders as well. So that is something that he respects — the freedom of speech — and he’ll continue to speak to that.

During a July visit to Bethlehem, Biden lamented the killing of Akleh, saying she “was performing very vital work.”

“The United States has suffered a loss as well including the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh,” said Biden. “And she was an American, American citizen and a proud Palestinian and she was performing very vital work and an independent media and vital work of democracy. Her death is an enormous loss to the essential work of sharing with the world the story of the Palestinian people.”

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