WASHINGTON: The United States on Tuesday declined to criticize Israel over the killing of five Al Jazeera journalists in the Gaza Strip, referring questions to its ally.
The Israeli military alleged that Anas Al-Sharif, a prominent face on the Qatar-based network covering the violence, headed a Hamas “terrorist cell” and was “responsible for advancing rocket attacks” against Israelis.
“What I will tell you is that we refer you to Israel for information regarding Al-Sharif,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters.
She voiced respect for journalists who cover war zones but said that Hamas members have been “embedded in society, including posing as journalists.”
“It is a horrible thing to do for those of you who are committed to finding information for people to be in that situation,” she said.
