What the U.S. Should Say About the Death of Shireen Abu Akleh

The State Department concluded that Abu Akleh’s death was probably the result of “unintentional” Israeli fire, but it also noted that the ballistics test was “inconclusive.” That should have been the end of it. Yet, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has allowed this ordeal to stretch out into its third month, calling for “accountability,” and pressuring the Israeli Defense Forces to quickly release the findings of its own investigation.

Perhaps a thorough Israeli investigation will uncover more evidence. If it doesn’t, however, as with so many war-zone casualties, the inconclusive findings may simply be the conclusion.

What is crystal clear though, is what is not often mentioned: Palestinian terrorists, who regularly use civilians as human shields, make it virtually inevitable that innocents like Abu Akleh will be caught in the crossfire. Her death occurred as the Israeli forces were responding to a spree of lethal terror attacks in its cities that tracked back to Jenin. Nevertheless, Israel was remarkably open to an investigation into Abu Akleh’s death, with the knowledge that such an investigation could potentially find one of its soldiers culpable.

It is against this backdrop that Secretary Blinken’s calls for “accountability” ring hollow. America’s top diplomat then went a step further and invited Abu Akleh’s niece last week to visit the State Department after its own investigation couldn’t determine what had happened. Somewhat predictably, the niece demanded that Washington see to it that an Israeli soldier is jailed for the killing and his commander prosecuted.

America’s seasoned diplomats know, even if our most progressive legislators don’t, that the U.S. would never submit its military justice to another country. We shouldn’t expect that of Israel. This isn’t just a matter of policy; it’s a recognition of Israel’s long-standing commitment to legal self-scrutiny even as it ensures the safety of its citizens.

This was the message that the White House and Mr. Blinken should have conveyed: Terrorism triggers security sweeps. War reporters admirably risk their lives. Terrorists use civilians, including reporters, as human shields. Soldiers make mistakes. Cross-fire deaths often go unsolved or unaddressed. And democratic allies, especially those who know first-hand the demands and perils of urban warfare, should acknowledge the fog that unavoidably comes in combat.

Mark Dubowitz is chief executive officer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where Jonathan Schanzer is senior vice president for research. Follow them on Twitter @mdubowitz and @JSchanzer. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.