The NewsGuild-CWA strongly condemns the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, a renowned Palestinian-American reporter for Al Jazeera. Abu Akleh was fatally shot on May 11 while covering an Israeli army raid in the occupied West Bank. The network reported that she was targeted by Israeli forces and shot in the head. Witnesses reported that she was wearing a press vest when she was shot.
We join the call for an international investigation into the incident. And we commend the International Federation of Journalists and others for filing a formal complaint with the International Criminal Court over the targeting of Palestinian journalists by Israel. The NewsGuild-CWA is a member of the IFJ.
Witnesses told the New York Times that Abu Akleh was shot by an Israeli soldier. And the Washington Post reported that several witnesses disputed Israeli claims that she was killed in a firefight and could have been shot by Israeli or Palestinian forces.
Videos on Friday showed Israeli Police officers beating and kicking mourners next to the coffin of Abu Akleh, forcing pallbearers to nearly drop her coffin.
“We mourn Shireen’s death and it’s horrifying to think that she was targeted in this killing,” said NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss. “Journalists seek truth and report it. Attacking them is an attack on us all.”
“Shireen’s death needs to be immediately investigated and those responsible need to be held accountable,” Schleuss said.
Abu Akleh worked for Al Jazeera for more than two decades and rose to prominence covering the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising against Israeli rule, in the early 2000s.
A staggering number of journalists and media workers have been killed this year. At least twelve were killed in Ukraine, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists and 11 have been killed in Mexico, according to NPR.
Last year the Israeli government intentionally bombed the offices of the Associated Press and Al Jazeera in Gaza. The Guild condemned that attack and Israel’s spread of false information to lure fighters into underground tunnels to then bomb and increase casualties.