Global InformationShireen Abu Akleh information
Shireen Abu Akleh | |
|---|---|
شيرين أبو عاقلة | |
 Abu Akleh near the Old City of Jerusalem | |
| Born | April 3, 1971[1] East Jerusalem, Israeli-occupied West Bank[2] |
| Died | (aged 51) Jenin, Israeli-occupied West Bank |
| Cause of death | Gunshot wound |
| Citizenship |
|
| Alma mater | Yarmouk University |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Employer | Al Jazeera |
| Known for | Coverage of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict |
| Relatives | Lina Abu Akleh (niece) |
Shireen Abu Akleh[a] (Arabic: شيرين أبو عاقلة, romanized: Šīrīn Abū ʿĀqila; April 3, 1971 – May 11, 2022) was a prominent Palestinian-American journalist who worked as a reporter for 25 years for Al Jazeera, before she was killed by an Israeli soldier while wearing a blue press vest and covering a raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Abu Akleh was one of the most prominent names across the Middle East for her decades of reporting in the Palestinian territories, and seen as a role model for many Arab and Palestinian women.[5][6] She is considered to be an icon of Palestinian journalism.[7]
Upon her death on May 11, 2022, Israel denied responsibility and blamed Palestinian militants. However, it gradually changed its narrative until admitted she was "accidentally" killed by Israeli fire, but refused to undertake a criminal investigation.[8][9] The admission came after several independent investigations were conducted by international media outlets, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the United States Department of State.[9] Forensic Architecture refuted Israel's findings on September 20 and said Abu Akleh was deliberately targeted and denied medical aid after she was shot.[10] In November 2022, the United States Department of Justice opened a separate investigation into the killing, in a move that Israel condemned and refused to cooperate with. Her niece Lina Abu Akleh has since been demanding that the Israeli soldier responsible for her death be held accountable.[11][12]
The manner of her death and the subsequent violent disruption of her funeral drew widespread international condemnation of Israel.[13] During her funeral procession, the Israel Police attacked the pallbearers at the Saint Joseph's Hospital in East Jerusalem with batons and stun grenades.[14] The hospital itself was also stormed by Israeli police officers, who assaulted patients and threw stun grenades, wounding and causing burns to medical staff in the building.[15] The facility issued a statement from the Christian Churches of the Holy Land, stating that the Israel Police's actions constituted "invasion and disproportionate use of force" and a violation of the "right of freedom of religion" for the Palestinians. Abu Akleh's funeral was attended by tens of thousands of people carrying Palestinian flags and chanting nationalist songs; it is believed to have been the largest Palestinian funeral in Jerusalem in over twenty years.[16][17] On October 26, 2023, the Israeli military bulldozed a memorial that had been erected at the site where Abu Akleh was killed.[18][19][20]
- ^ "Shireen Abu Akleh remembered on what would have been her 52nd birthday". WAFA Agency. April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
- ^ "Al Jazeera's Shireen Abu Akleh: pioneering Palestinian reporter". France 24. May 11, 2022. Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
She was born in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem to a Palestinian Christian family.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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abh1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Slain Al Jazeera journalist was icon of Palestinian coverage". AP. May 12, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
- ^ Gold, Hadas; Salman, Abeer (September 5, 2022). "Israeli military admits Shireen Abu Akleh likely killed by Israeli fire, but won't charge soldiers". CNN. Archived from the original on September 6, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
- ^ a b "Initial IDF probe of reporter's death proposes 2 scenarios for who fired fatal shot". Times of Israel. Archived from the original on June 9, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
FIwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Kingsley, Patrick (November 14, 2022). "U.S. Investigating Killing of Al Jazeera Journalist in West Bank, Israel Says". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
- ^ "Shireen Abu Aqla: Israel won't cooperate with US death probe". BBC News. November 15, 2022. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
- ^ "After international outcry, police open probe into violence at reporter's funeral". www.timesofisrael.com. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
toividwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
chrleawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Israeli police beat mourners at funeral of slain Palestinian journalist". Reuters. May 14, 2022. Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
- ^ "Israeli police beat pallbearers at journalist's funeral". AP NEWS. May 13, 2022. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
IFJ1111was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Abu Samra, Qais (October 27, 2023). "Israeli army destroys memorial of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in West Bank". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ "Protests, confrontations in Jerusalem and West Bank amid Israel-Gaza war". Al Jazeera English. October 28, 2023. Archived from the original on December 19, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
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