An American journalist, born in Jerusalem, was killed in Jenin in the Occupied West Bank of Palestine by Israeli Defense Forces on Wednesday. Shireen Abu Akleh had worked as a reporter for the Arabic-language channel of Al Jazeera for 25 years, and was covering an Israeli raid into Jenin when she was deliberately targeted and killed by an Israeli soldier.
Ali al-Samoudi, of Al-Quds newspaper, was shot in the back, and two other Palestinians were injured and transported to a hospital. Al Samoudi, and all other journalists present reported there were no Palestinian fighters present when the Israeli Defense Forces opened fire on the group of journalists.
"Suddenly they shot us without asking us to leave or stop filming," said al-Samoudi. He added, "The first bullet hit me and the second bullet hit Shireen... there was no Palestinian military resistance at all at the scene."
Shatha Hanaysha, a local journalist who was standing next to Abu Akleh, said, "We were four journalists, we were all wearing vests, all wearing helmets," Hanaysha said. "The [Israeli] occupation army did not stop firing even after she collapsed. I couldn't even extend my arm to pull her because of the shots being fired. The army was adamant on shooting to kill."
Walid Al-Omari, Ramallah bureau chief for Al Jazeera, said that Abu Akleh was wearing a blue flak jacket marked "PRESS", and a helmet, but was shot in an unprotected area under her ear, which points to a deliberately targeted shot. The video of the shooting substantiates what Al-Omari described.
Ibrahim Melham, Palestinian Authority government spokesperson, said, "However, all the witnesses present at the scene of the crime ensures that it was an Israeli sniper that committed the crime in a deliberate way."
Abu Akleh's father was from Bethlehem, the birth place of Jesus Christ, and her family were Palestinian Christians, descendants of the followers of Jesus. Bethlehem is a Christian village dating over 2,000 years, and is the birthplace of Christianity. Palestinian Christians had been about 20% of the population of Palestine in 1948, but now number only 2% of the Palestinian-occupied territory. Only Jews can be Israeli citizens, and human rights groups have labeled Israel as an Apartheid state, as well as a racist state.
Christians in Palestine have been diminished over the 74 years of brutal military occupation.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
1
