London Shireen Abu Akleh, one of the best-known journalists on the Al Jazeera TV network, was shot dead by the Israeli army in Palestine while covering an attack in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health and the Al Jazeera network said he was hospitalized in critical condition after being shot in the head Wednesday morning and died shortly after.
The Israeli government attributed the death to a conflict between Palestinian forces and Israeli soldiers. However, Walid al-Omary, head of Al Jazeera’s Ramallah office, said there were no shots fired by the Palestinians.
Murdered reporter becomes ‘real journalist’
Abu Akleh, a Palestinian who also holds US citizenship, was one of the first field reporters for Al Jazeera, where he had worked since 1997, and was a respected professional.
One of his former colleagues, Mohammad Hawwash, who has known him for over 25 years, said he was a “true journalist”.
“Shereen was a professional, impartial journalist who reported reality and events as they happened,” Hawwash told Al Jazeera.
Giles Trendle, managing director of Al Jazeera English, said the network was “shocked and upset” by Shireen Abu Akleh’s death and called for a transparent investigation into her murder.
“As journalists, we are moving forward. Our mission is to move forward. “Despite attempts to silence us, we will not be silenced,” he said.
Whose fault is this?
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused ‘Palestinian terrorists’ of indiscriminate shooting and possibly hitting the journalist, but journalists from the same group said there was no exchange of fire between the two sides of the conflict.
This morning in Jenin, terrorists heard him say, “They shot someone, they shot a soldier, he’s lying on the ground.”
But no IDF soldiers were injured in Jenin
Palestinian terrorists, who opened fire indiscriminately, are likely to shoot Al Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Aqla. pic.twitter.com/nXNbVJrnkC
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel (@IsraelMFA) 11 May 2022
The journalist’s death was condemned by the Palestinian authorities. Palestinian Authority (PA) government spokesman Ibrahim Melhem described the case as a “comprehensive crime against a prominent journalist”.
The Palestinian presidency condemned the murder, saying it blamed the Israeli occupation in a statement, according to the network where the murdered journalist worked.
Israel deliberately targeted and assassinated Shireen AbuAqla. Shireen is another victim of the international community’s deliberate inaction to hold Israel accountable for its continuing crimes; pic.twitter.com/ekDb6Qx1DM
— State of Palestine – Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@pmofa) 11 May 2022
On Twitter, he accused Israel of systematically harassing journalists and claimed that journalism was not a crime.
…We call on the United Nations Security Council to fulfill its obligations and to provide international protection for the Palestinian people in accordance with its resolutions. (End) @AJENews @ShireenNasri #ShireenAbuAqla #Palestine
— State of Palestine (@Palestine_UN) 11 May 2022
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The case will be reported to the ICC
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly condemned the killing of a Palestinian media worker and announced that it would attach the murder to a complaint filed with the International Criminal Court detailing the systematic attack on Palestinian journalists.
For the Palestinian Journalists Association, the crime was deliberate and planned. The statement made by the organization included the following statements:
“There are statements from journalists who were with him when he was killed, saying that when they were shot by Israeli snipers, they were all dressed in journalistic equipment and acting as a clearly defined group.
They were the only group on the street. No protesters or mutual shots were fired.”
Another journalist was wounded, Ali al-Samoudi, who was shot in the back, and denied the Israeli version in a report by the network:
“We were going to film the Israeli army operation and suddenly they fired without telling us to leave or stop the shooting.
The first bullet hit me and the second shot Shireen… there was no Palestinian military resistance there.”
Local journalist Shatha Hanaysha, who was with Abu Akleh when he was killed in Palestine, also confirmed to Al Jazeera that there was no conflict between Palestinian fighters and the Israeli army. He said the group of journalists was directly targeted.
“We were four journalists, we were all wearing vests, we were all wearing helmets,” Hanaysha told the broadcaster.
“Occupying army [israelense] He didn’t stop shooting even after he fell to the ground. I couldn’t even stretch my arm to pull him out because of the fired bullets. The army was determined to shoot to kill,” he said.
The report, produced by the journalist’s network, records the last email Abu Akleh sent to Al Jazeera’s Ramallah office at 6:13 am: “Occupation forces are attacking Jenin and besieging a house in the Jabriyat neighborhood. On the way, I’ll bring you news as soon as the picture is clear.”
Al Jazeera colleague shared the latest photo of the journalist
Al Jazeera English reporter Arwa Ibrahim respectfully greeted Shireen Abu Akleh on social media.
“I grew up listening to Shireen Abu Akleh’s courageous voice on the Palestinian issue and had the privilege of working with her as she reports from Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.
Shireen was shot dead by Israeli police while doing her job.. This news reaches all of us.”
I grew up listening to Shireen Abu Akleh’s brave voice on the Palestinian issue and had the privilege of working with her while reporting from Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Shireen was shot and killed by Israeli police while doing her job. This news made us all cry. pic.twitter.com/8FVqrfKO4V
— Arwa Ibrahim (@arwaib) 11 May 2022
İbrahim also shared the video of the moment when the journalist was told that he died in the hospital by the doctors. The members of the press who were at the scene, determined that the traditional vests were within the scope of risk, and started to cry and despair.
‘Wake up Shireen’. Al Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh was pronounced dead after being shot by Israeli forces while covering in Jenin in the occupied West Bank. pic.twitter.com/YxRI5Ga60p
— Arwa Ibrahim (@arwaib) 11 May 2022
“For many of us journalists, the murder of Shireen Abu Akleh is deeply personal,” Ibrahim said in another post on Twitter.
“Before entering this profession, her face and voice showed us the way – calm, serene and unwaveringly passionate and determined as a reporter and a Palestinian. We will miss you in every way, Shireen.”
In another video he shared, dozens of Palestinians are seen around the corpse of the murdered journalist covered with blankets, the Palestinian flag and the press vest he wears.
He explains: “The symbolism is overwhelming. Brave Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who has covered Israeli aggression for years, was killed in Jenin, a symbol of Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation. people reported [em suas reportagens] Say goodbye.”
Symbolism is dominant. Brave Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who has covered Israeli aggression for years, was killed in Jenin, a symbol of Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation. The people he informs are saying goodbye. pic.twitter.com/AMzdOOHxWI
— Arwa Ibrahim (@arwaib) 11 May 2022
Arwa Ibrahim also released the last photo of Shireen Abu Akleh taken while she was alive. In the image, a colleague appears to be helping him put on a bulletproof vest with his “Press” ID.
last photo taken #ShireenAbuAkleh Before he was shot in the head while covering the Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp. pic.twitter.com/r7YmzyCKpU
— Arwa Ibrahim (@arwaib) 11 May 2022
Journalists in Palestine at Risk
The IFJ recently filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC), alleging that Israel’s systematic attack on journalists working in Palestine and its failure to adequately investigate the killing of media workers constitute war crimes.
IFJ Secretary General Anthony Bellanger said:
“While all the details of this horrific murder are emerging, the statements of the journalists who were with him when he was killed point to another deliberate and systematic target of a journalist.
Once again, journalists wearing revealing press vests were targeted by Israeli snipers. They weren’t on the side of the protesters, they weren’t a threat – they were targeted to prevent them from testifying and telling the truth about Israel’s action in Jenin.
“We will add this case to the ICC complaint by the IFJ detailing this systematic segmentation. If we demand justice for Russia’s attack on Ukrainian journalists, we must also demand justice for Israel’s attack and killing of Palestinian journalists.”
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source: Noticias
