Palestinians hold posters displaying veteran Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was, according to the network, shot dead by Israeli troops as she covered a raid on the West Bank s Jenin refugee camp on May 11, 2022, in the West Bank city of Hebron. Palestinians hold posters displaying veteran Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh, who was, according to the network, shot dead by Israeli troops as she covered a raid on the West Bank s Jenin refugee camp, in the West Bank city of Hebron, on May 11, 2022. AFP
Such heinous crimes aim to suppress the truth and freedom through the continued assault in Jenin governorate, he added on Wednesday.
In a statement, the pan-Arab body held Israeli forces fully responsible for the death of the Palestinian journalist. It also underlined the need of holding an international investigation into Abu Akleh's killing.
Urgent actions must be taken to hold those responsible for this crime accountable, according to the statement.
Meanwhile, the AL Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and the occupied Arab territories Saeed Abu Ali said that Palestine lost a veteran media figure. He also extended heartfelt condolences for Abu Akleh's death. He also wished a speedy recovery to Ali Samoudi, who was shot by a live bullet in the back.
An image grab from footage distributed by the Doha-based Al-Jazeera TV shows a reporter reacting (R) as the channel's veteran journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is seen on the ground after being shot in the face in Jenin in the occupied West Bank on May 11, 2022. AFP
Relations between Israeli forces and the media, especially Palestinian journalists, are strained. A number of Palestinian reporters have been wounded by rubber-coated bullets or tear gas while covering demonstrations in the West Bank. A Palestinian journalist in Gaza was shot and killed by Israeli forces while filming violent protests along the Gaza frontier in 2018.
Another journalist working for a local Gaza radio station, who was shot on the same day at the Gaza frontier, died a week later
In November 2018, Associated Press reporter Rashed Rashid was covering a protest near the Gaza frontier when he was shot in the left ankle, apparently by Israeli fire. Rashid was wearing protective gear that clearly identified him as a journalist, and was standing with a crowd of other journalists some 600 meters (660 yards) away from the Israeli border when he was hit. The military has never acknowledged the shooting.
During last year's war between Israel and Gaza's militant Hamas rulers, an Israeli airstrike destroyed the building in Gaza City housing the offices of The Associated Press and Al Jazeera. Residents were warned to evacuate and no one was hurt in the strike. Israel said Hamas was using the building as a command centre but has provided no evidence.
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