Another journalist killed covering Israel’s military. This time it was the renowned veteran Palestinian-American Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
This wouldn’t have come as a great surprise to those who have been following Israel’s long list of crimes against journalism, let alone their crimes against the Palestinian people. Only last year they bombed the 12-story Jala Tower in Gaza, which housed an Associated Press office.
Israel claimed, as they always do, that Hamas was using the tower to jam their much-celebrated air defence system known as ‘Iron Dome’. As usual, they provided no evidence for this claim. Israel was ‘kind’ enough to let the journalists know they were going to bomb the building before they did. Shireen Abu Akleh received no such charity.
Abu Akleh was covering an Israeli raid at the Jenin refugee camp on May 11 (by the way, what were Israeli troops doing on Palestinian territory anyway?) when she was shot in the face by what witnesses claim was an Israeli sniper; an Israeli sniper who through his/her scope could see that the veteran journalist was wearing a helmet and a bullet proof vest with the words ‘Press’ on it. She was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at hospital.
At first Israel, you won’t be surprised, blamed Palestinians for Abu Akleh’s death, claiming she died from a bullet fired by Palestinian gunmen, despite providing no evidence and despite the respected Israeli NGO B’Tselem showing how this could not have been possible. Then Israel called for a joint investigation into the 51-year-old’s death, which was rejected by the Palestinians.
Why would the Palestinians reject a joint investigation, you might ask? Well, if you have a joint investigation that proves to be inconclusive because Israeli investigators disagree with what their Palestinian counterparts are stating, despite what the evidence shows, Israel could say to the world that the investigation proved to be inconclusive and sweep it under the carpet; which is what they would have done if a joint investigation was held.
A CNN report on May 24 stated that new evidence suggests Abu Akleh ‘was killed in a targeted attack by Israeli forces’- Mark Manduca
On May 19, the Israeli military announced that they would not be investigating the death of Abu Akleh due to, I kid you not, “no suspicion of a criminal act.” I’m no criminal law expert but I believe a woman being shot in the face who dies as a result of her wound constitutes a criminal act worth investigating. Also, it seems to me going from blaming the Palestinians for Abu Akleh’s death to not investigating the matter at all is an admission of guilt.
Any last hope that Israel was not responsible for Abu Akleh’s death was dashed when new footage emerged on May 20 showing no fighting between the IDF and Palestinians before the journalist’s murder and then on May 24 a CNN report stated that new evidence suggests that Abu Akleh “was killed in a targeted attack by Israeli forces.”
The question we need to ask is this: Why would Israel want Shireen Abu Akleh killed? There are two reasons that I see. One would be that she was shining a light on the horrors of the occupation since the 1990s. By getting rid of her Israel has removed a huge thorn in their side. The second reason would be the intimidation factor. By taking out one of the most well-known journalists in the Arab world, Israel has sent out the message that if anyone reports the actual truth of what’s going on in Gaza and the West Bank, they too will suffer the same fate.
Abu Akleh’s family has called for an international investigation into her death. Thousands of Palestinians paid tribute to the slain journalist at her funeral, such was her reverence. There was also the undignifying incident where pallbearers who were carrying Abu Akleh’s coffin were beaten by Israeli police. Israel stopped caring about optics long ago.
Rest in peace Shireen Abu Akleh. May your killer be brought to justice.
Mark Manduca has a Master’s degree in Diplomatic Studies from the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies