Several thousand people have gathered in Ramallah for an official memorial service for Al-Jazira reporter Shirin Abu Akle, who was shot dead in the West Bank on Wednesday. The 51-year-old Palestinian woman was killed during an Israeli military operation in the city of Jenin. The bullet of controversial origin killed the most famous TV journalist in the conflict region, as NZZ Israel correspondent Inga Rogg says.
SRF News: What is known so far about the perpetrators?
Inga Rogg: At the moment there are more questions than answers. The Israeli army first denied it and suggested that Palestinian terrorists were behind it. However, those journalists who were traveling with Shirin Abu Akle unanimously said that they had been shot at by Israeli soldiers. There were no Palestinian fighters at the point where the reporter was fatally hit.
The Qatari news channel Al-Jazira accuses the Israeli army of using this to prevent unwanted reporting. What’s the point of this tacky accusation?
That’s a very serious accusation. At the same time, the broadcaster emphasizes that Shirin Abu Akle was deliberately killed – murdered in cold blood. Basically, it can be said that Israel regards freedom of the press as a very valuable asset and also tolerates critical reporting from Al-Jazira. So you can’t just let this accusation stand in the room. However, the Israeli government and the army tried to completely dismiss the accusation. They distributed a video to show that the bullet could only have come from Palestinian radicals. That turned out to be unsustainable in the course of yesterday.
Legend:
The Palestinian honor guard carries the killed al-Jazira journalist Shirin Abu Akle to rest on May 12, 2022.
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In addition, in the occupied areas of the West Bank, journalists are actually repeatedly hindered and attacked. There have been injured photographers and civilians are being killed time and time again. The framework conditions for reporting are different in the region than in Israel.
How well known was Shirin Abu Akle and why?
Shirin Abu Akle was clearly the most famous Palestinian journalist in the conflict region. She has worked for Al-Jazira for 25 years and covered all the conflicts during that time. Always at the forefront, for example in the second Intifada or in the Gaza wars.
Legend:
Schirin Abu Akle was considered by colleagues to be very courageous and generous. She also trained many young journalists and acted as a role model, especially for young women in this profession.
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What are the chances of an investigation, as demanded by the USA and France, but also by the UN and the EU?
The Israeli army announced an investigation. The Palestinian Authority is conducting its own investigation. Because Shirin Abu Akle was also a US citizen, the US government intervened in the background and urged Israel to conduct a joint investigation with the Palestinian Authority.
Legend:
Mourners carried the body of Shirin Abu Akle on Wednesday from the offices of the TV channel Al-Jazira in Ramallah, where friends and work colleagues paid their respects to the dead.
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Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz told foreign media last night that it was not clear at the moment who shot the reporter. After that there were apparently talks with the PA with a view to a joint investigation. It remains to be seen whether it will come to that. The Palestinian side has already made it clear that it intends to bring the case before the International Criminal Court.
The interviewer was Salvador Atasoy.