A new low point in the history of American protection for Israeli impunity: State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland yesterday refused to criticize the Israeli court decision saying there was nothing wrong with an Israeli army tank crushing an American protester to death while she was trying to protect children in a Gaza house in 2003.

A reporter asked Nuland specifically about the statement ascribed to American ambassador Dan Shapiro:

Israel’s investigation into the death of American activist Rachel Corrie was not satisfactory, and wasn’t as thorough, credible or transparent as it should have been, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro told the Corrie family this week.

And Nuland seeks to retract this statement, implying that it was simply a form of “private” “support,” like grief therapy: