Washington – The Obama administration is questioning Israel’s decision not to open a criminal investigation into the shooting death by Israeli security forces of a Palestinian-American teenager earlier this year.
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In a letter sent this week to religious groups that had raised concerns about the case and obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, the top U.S. diplomat for the Middle East said the United States continues to have concerns about the death of 16-year-old Mahmoud Shalan. Shalan, who was born in Florida, was killed in the West Bank on Feb. 26 by Israeli troops who said he had tried to stab them. Several groups took issue with that account and complained that the soldiers had used excessive force and denied Shalan medical treatment after he was shot. The U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv asked Israeli authorities to conduct an investigation into the matter.
In the letter, the assistant secretary of state for Near East affairs, Anne Patterson, said the U.S. was later informed that the Israeli Military Advocate General “did not find that the soldiers’ actions gave rise to reasonable grounds for suspicion of criminal conduct.” The advocate general then ordered the case closed “without opening a criminal investigation or ordering further action against those involved in the incident,” she wrote.
Subsequently, Patterson said U.S. officials were allowed to review the evidence compiled by the Israelis, including photographs of the scene. Based on that review, she said: “We continue to have concerns about the death of this American citizen and will remain engaged with the government of Israel on this issue.”
A U.S. official said American diplomats had privately raised concerns with Israeli authorities about the decision not proceed with a criminal investigation into Shalan’s death. The official was not authorized to discuss the case publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The groups that Patterson wrote to have long expressed concerns about Israeli security forces’ treatment of Palestinians. Some have urged that the U.S. review its security assistance to Israel under the provisions of the so-called Leahy law, which can bar aid to foreign forces believed to have committed human rights abuses.
Don’t question the tunnels built by the government of Gaza, the stabbings, stone throwing, the brain washing etc. Maybe the USA should man checkpoints instead and they can deal with the terrorists instead.
Love how the article starts “The Obama administration” BH less than 2 months to the end of the failed presidency.
How come the Obama administration isn’t opening an investigation into the hundreds of thousands of deaths in Syria?
Just yestrday they indicted an arab for stabbing an israely & today its the opposite & NO indictment, what coound of land is thet? What laws does it has?
Interesting how State doesn’t raise a ruckus when, R”L, a Jewish American citizen is murdered by the PaleoNazis.
Hopefully, this double standard will be obliterated when President Trump drains the Foggy Bottom swamp.
why don’t obama probe the shootings of white people by his brothers
#5 Because friend O Ba Ma doesn’t blink when those his great friend Hi Lary called deplorables get murdered, in fact like her he thinks they are irredeemable. Still the deplorable irredeemables made sure the axis of evil led by Hi Lary and her cronies got their just deserts. They all got booted farther than you can see on a very clear day!