The Palestinians demanded the United States on Wednesday to practice its power to ensure accountability for the killing of Palestinian teenager Jana Zakarneh, 16, during an Israeli attack in the city of Jenin.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry official, Ahmed al-Deek, said that the Palestinian Authority (PA) wants the US administration to exert pressure on Israel and ensure the murderer is held accountable.
Deek said it is not enough for the Israeli government to admit to the murder and apologize for it.
The United States called Monday for accountability after the Israeli military said an Israeli soldier had likely accidentally killed a 16-year-old Palestinian girl during an exchange of fire in Jenin.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price said: "We do express our profound condolences to the family of Jana Zakarneh," describing it as a "tragic incident" and "heartbreaking."
Price indicated that Washington was aware the Israeli army was investigating what happened, and said: "We hope to see accountability in this case."
The spokesman noted that Zakarneh's tragic death comes in the context of escalating violence in the West Bank that "we've noted and lamented for some time now."
"It is this alarming increase in Palestinian and Israeli deaths and injuries, including injuries to numerous children and now the death of a young Palestinian teenager – we reiterate the need for all parties to take steps to de-escalate the situation," said Price.
The incident raised Israeli concerns because it coincided with the arrival of the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, to examine the evidence of the Israeli army targeting Palestinian children in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Gamba met with the Palestinian Foreign Minister, Riyad al-Maliki, and met with the victims' families.
Maliki handed the Special Representative a detailed report on the occupation's crimes against children, including documents and testimonies about the execution of more than 52 children since the beginning of the year.
On Thursday, she will meet with Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and later with Israeli officials.
Zakarneh was killed after being shot in the head while on the roof of her house during an Israeli operation to arrest Palestinians. Zakarneh's family said the girl went to look for her cat.
The Israeli army did not respond conclusively to the accusations but indicated that after a preliminary investigation, there is a high possibility that a border police sniper accidentally killed the girl.
The Border Police said the experienced sniper saw only one armed individual on the roof and did not see anyone else around during an exchange of gunfire.
