An Al Jazeera journalist was killed in an Israeli operation in the West Bank

Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, one of the stars of Al Jazeera, died of gunshot wounds this wednesday when covered an invasion of the Israeli army in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.

The Qatari channel said the reporter, a 51-year-old Palestinian Christian, was killed “intentionally” and “in cold blood” of the forces of Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said he was “likely” killed by Palestinian gunfire.

Another Al Jazeera journalist, producer Ali Al Samudi, he was hurt in the same incident.

An AFP photographer at the scene confirmed Abu Akleh wore a press vest when he was shot.

The photographer said Israeli forces were firing on the area and he saw the body of the Al Jazeera reporter on the ground. There are no armed Palestinians in the areaHe added.

The Israeli army confirmed it conducted an operation Wednesday morning in the Jenin refugee camp, a stronghold of Palestinian armed groups in the northern occupied West Bank, but denied shooting journalists.

The Israeli version

The army ensured that there was an exchange of gunfire between the suspects and security forces, and that it was “investigating the incident and looking into the possibility of the journalists were attacked by armed Palestinians“.

“(The army) of course is not attacking journalists,” an Israeli military official told AFP.

Al Jazeera called on the international community Israel is responsible for the “intentional” killing of the journalist.

“In a blatant killing that violates international laws and standards, Israeli occupation forces killed Al Jazeera’s cold -blooded correspondent“ in Palestinian territories, ”the television said.

Qatari Foreign Minister Lolwah Al Khater said on Twitter that the scripture was shot “in the face”, and he wore a helmet and vest that identified him as a journalist. He called the act “Israeli state terrorism” and unconditional support for Israel “must end.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid assured that his country wants to join a “investigation into the tragic death of the journalist Shireen Abu Akleh “.

“Journalists in conflict zones must be protected and we have a responsibility to come to the truth,” he added.

However, a senior Palestinian official, Hussein Al Sheikh, pointed out that Israel had no contact to conduct a joint investigation.

At noon, Palestinians placed flowers along the road leading to the driveway carrying Abu Akleh’s body north of the West Bank, an AFP journalist found.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides tweeted that he was “extremely saddened by the death of American and Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh” and called for “a full investigation into the circumstances of his death“.

The Israeli prime minister claimed that Palestinian gunmen in the Jenin camp were “likely” responsible for the reporter’s death.

“Based on the information we have gathered, it seems likely that the armed Palestinians, who fired indiscriminately at the time, were responsible for the journalist’s unfortunate death,” Bennett said in a statement.

That was said by the injured Al Jazeera producer, Samudi there were no armed Palestinians in the area when his companion died.

waves of violence

Abu Akleh’s death came nearly a year after an Israeli airstrike destroyed the building in Gaza where are the offices of the Qatari channel and the AP news agency, in the midst of the war against the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas.

Israel said at the time the tower contains the offices of key Hamas memberswhich governs the Gaza Strip, territory under Israeli blockade.

A Hamas official on Wednesday described the journalist’s death as “planned murder.”

The death of Abu Akleh also comes at the time of growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. Since March 22, Israel has been the target of a series of attacks that have killed at least 18 people.

Two of those attacks were carried out by Israeli Arabs and four of them by Palestinians, including three youths from Jenin, where the Israeli army has stepped up its operations in recent weeks.

Following these attacks against Israel, 31 Palestinians, including the perpetrators of these acts and an 18-year-old boy on Wednesday near Ramallah, killed by Israeli forces.

Thaer Khalil Al Yazuri died after being shot in the heart in the city of Al Birah, the ministry said in a brief statement. Contacted by the AFP, the Israeli army reported clashes between Palestinians and soldiers “firing rubber bullets”.

Source: AFP