Palestinians mourn journalist Shireen Abu Akleh
Mona Kandil
Press TV, Ramallah
One day after the killing of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh by Israeli soldiers in Jenin in the occupied West Bank, Palestinians from all walks of life attended a state service ceremony at the Palestinian Authority’s presidential compound in the occupied Ramallah.
President Mahmoud Abbas, while honoring her and bidding her farewell, said the Israeli authorities are “fully responsible” for the killing of the veteran reporter.
On Wednesday, Israeli forces raided Jenin, and during the operation, they opened fire in the direction of a group of journalists covering the raid, Shireen was shot and died soon afterward. Another journalist, Ali Samoudi, was hospitalized after being shot in the back.
It was very clear that Shireen was killed while wearing a press vest and helmet.
Journalists at the scene said there were no Palestinian fighters present when their colleagues were shot directly, disputing an Israeli statement referencing the possibility that it was Palestinian fire.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said it’s a crime committed in cold blood as part of the systematic targeting of Palestinian journalists.
Palestinian journalists have warned that the already high rate of Israeli attacks against media workers in the occupied territories could even increase as long as Israeli soldiers receive impunity, as with Shireen’s death. An estimated 50 Palestinian journalists have been killed since 2000 in both the Gaza strip and the occupied west bank.
The Israeli military hopes that killing another Palestinian journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, would scare Palestinian media workers.
During Shireen’s funeral, journalists said that although the price of exposing Israeli crimes could be as high as their lives, the Israeli military will never intimidate or deter them from continuing to bring the people’s voice to the world.
Hamas’ founding anniversary: 37 years of resistance
Thousands rally in Sydney, demand action against Israel’s regional aggression
Gaza plight takes center stage at Tehran's 18th Cinéma Vérité Film Festival
VIDEO | Hamas’ founding anniversary: 37 years of resistance
'Iranian embassy in Damascus will soon resume its operations'
Israel kills 20 Gazans, including children, in strike on school
EU says will lift sanctions on Syria when minorities are protected
Israel to deploy automatic weapons in occupied West Bank to protect settlements
Israel approves plan to expand settlements in occupied Golan
Iran: ‘Not impossible’ to issue death sentence for Israel’s Netanyahu
Iran declares holidays to curb energy demand
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
