Baghdad, The European Union expressed, today, Thursday, its readiness to participate in independent investigations into the circumstances of the martyrdom of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh.

“The European Union confirms that the killing of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh is a tragic accident,” said Peter Stano, Spokesman for the European Union for Foreign Affairs, during a press briefing, calling for “an independent and comprehensive investigation.”

He affirmed the European Union’s readiness to participate in any independent investigations to clarify the circumstances of the killing of the Palestinian journalist, whom the Qatari “Al-Jazeera” network, which she works for, said was shot dead by the Israeli army.

For its part, a preliminary investigation by the Israeli army stated that it does not rule out any possibility regarding the killing of its soldiers to the Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh, during an exchange of fire in the Jenin refugee camp.

Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas refused the participation of the Israeli authorities in the investigation of the killing of journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh, “because she was the one who committed the crime.”

Abbas confirmed that Shireen’s case will be immediately transferred to the International Criminal Court, adding: “The crime of killing Shireen Abu Aqleh must not go unpunished, and we reject the joint investigation with the Israeli authorities, because they are the ones who killed Shireen.”

Source: National Iraqi News Agency