In 2022, the tragic killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, a highly respected Palestinian-American journalist, in the West Bank prompted an ambiguous statement from the U.S. State Department.
The State Department’s assessment suggested that shots from Israeli military positions were “likely responsible,” yet astonishingly concluded there was “no reason to believe this was intentional,” labeling the incident as “the result of tragic circumstances.”
This equivocal stance sparked widespread outrage among Palestinians and numerous international observers, who perceived it as another example of the Israeli military evading responsibility for Palestinian fatalities. Subsequently, the United States remained publicly silent on Ms. Abu Akleh’s death.
However, officials directly involved in examining the shooting found themselves deeply divided over the Biden administration’s public findings. According to five current and former U.S. officials familiar with the case, some were firmly convinced the shooting was intentional.
While definitive proof that the shooter specifically targeted a journalist remains elusive, these same officials felt that the surrounding circumstances and evidence strongly indicated the Israeli soldier must have been aware of their target’s profession. Conversely, other review officials upheld the U.S. government’s more reserved conclusion.
Among those who vehemently disagreed with the Biden administration’s official conclusion was Col. Steve Gabavics. A decorated military policeman with three decades of service, including a tenure as commandant of Guantánamo Bay’s U.S. military prison, Colonel Gabavics was an official at the Office of the United States Security Coordinator when the shooting occurred. This office, responsible for fostering collaboration between Israeli and Palestinian security forces, led the U.S. review of the incident.