Assassinating Shireen Abu Akleh for the second time

The US has assassinated the martyr, Shireen Abu Akleh, once again and has covered up the occupation’s heinous crimes, protecting Israel’s terrorism. The American administration has not issued a single condemnation of what has happened, as if it were living on another planet. In fact, it has not condemned any of the occupation army’s actions over many years against the occupied Palestinian territories, including the crimes committed by the occupation forces. They cannot continue to remain silent and deceive the world again by reversing the facts and falsification. The Palestinian parties must bear responsibility for following up on the assassination case in international courts, especially the ICC, considering the occupation state is responsible for her death and it must bear the consequences.

We are surprised by the continued forgery and reversal of facts by the Israeli media, which reports the news in a politicised manner and does not express any moral content, instead supporting the occupation’s narrative. The American role aligns with this, despite the ugly crime witnessed by the world, and despite the international media investigations and documenting of facts with irrefutable evidence, which is consistent with the results of the Palestinian investigation overseen by the Palestinian Public Prosecution. Despite this, the occupation government is still denying its responsibility for the assassination of Shireen Abu Akleh.

Shireen’s departure left clear evidence and witnesses to the crimes of the occupation to expose the policy of execution and assassinations practiced by the occupation government. It exposes the media, judiciary and the security and moral corruption in an army, based on the practice of killing and imposing its domination by military force and its exaggerated use against an occupied people demanding their rights.

READ: Israel’s impunity is boosted by the US whitewash of Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing

Through its heinous crime, the occupation forces want to obscure the truth and cover up its crimes, which targets Shireen’s journalistic thought, language and discourse, to assassinate the truth and the camera.  Shireen died, leaving behind clear evidence to prosecute the occupation for its crimes and to put an end to its liquidation policy, as the occupation is well aware of the important role played by the media in conveying the truth to the world and exposing the serious violations committed by the occupation forces.

By all standards, and within the limits of what was published about the case of the assassination of the journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, the American report proved that it gives the occupation legitimacy in the continuation of the policy of killing and pursuing Palestinian journalists. It also justifies the occupation army’s direct targeting of the Palestinian people, which constitutes a grave danger and violates international law and covenants protecting journalists. The US administration must maintain its credibility and hold the occupation fully responsible for the crime because the facts, events and what happened confirm its responsibility without any ambiguity and without overlooking the truth.

The case of the journalist Shireen Abu Akleh’s assassination cannot be closed with a superficial apology through an Israeli media spokesperson, and those who committed the crime must be prosecuted. In committing this atrocious crime, the occupation wants to intimidate and terrorise journalists to prevent them from reporting the truth to the world, thinking that this plan could undermine the will of journalists, their patriotism and their insistence on fighting the occupier, no matter how tyrannical, unjust and aggressive their practices are.

There is a need for international action at all levels to expose the occupation and to work to open a neutral, independent and transparent international investigation, under the supervision of the ICC, to look into the crime. There is also a need to launch an international campaign by the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, the International Federation of Journalists and Palestinian and Arab human rights institutions and international organisations to hold war criminals accountable, in order to prevent war criminals from escaping justice.

READ: Hamas rejects findings of US probe into Shireen Abu Akleh’s murder

This article first appeared in Arabic in Addustour on 6 July 2022

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.