US Lawyers Push for DOJ Investigation into American Deaths Linked to Israeli Actions
Three U.S. government lawyers have recently called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to address what they call a “serious gap” in the enforcement of U.S. law regarding the deaths of American citizens allegedly caused by Israeli forces or civilians. In a letter directed to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the attorneys, two of whom spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity, raised concerns over the DOJ’s lack of response to cases involving Americans killed in the West Bank, Gaza, and Lebanon.
The letter highlights several high-profile cases, including those of Shireen Abu Akleh, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, Tawfiq Abdel Jabbar, Mohammad Khdour, Omar Assad, Jacob Flickinger, and Kamel Ahmad Jawad. The attorneys argue that despite “credible evidence” of potential violations, the DOJ has not taken any known action to hold those responsible accountable, marking what they see as a “glaring gap” in the application of U.S. laws when Americans are affected by violence abroad.
Addressing Merrick Garland, the attorneys urged him to uphold his stated commitment to prosecuting alleged war crimes overseas, emphasizing that U.S. jurisdiction should be expanded to address these cases regardless of the nationality of those involved. While the DOJ declined to comment on the letter, Israel’s Washington embassy issued a statement affirming that incidents involving the deaths of American citizens are thoroughly investigated by Israeli authorities.
The letter points out that although the DOJ has prosecuted members of Hamas and Russian military personnel under U.S. war crimes laws for killing Americans, no comparable investigations have been launched concerning alleged actions by Israeli forces. The attorneys expressed concerns over what they perceive as “disparate treatment” of cases involving Americans with ties to Palestine, stating that justice for the deaths of U.S. citizens should be non-negotiable.
This letter represents the latest in a series of public challenges to U.S. policy on Israel and Gaza, a matter which has garnered criticism from both current and former U.S. officials over the past year. Meanwhile, the State Department has maintained that Israel’s internal investigations should be allowed to run their course. However, human rights groups argue that accountability is rare in such investigations. In one notable exception, after significant public outcry, the FBI reportedly began an inquiry into the 2022 death of Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist killed while reporting in the West Bank, although the DOJ has not confirmed any formal investigation into the case.
