Al Jazeera files lawsuit against Israel in The Hague over journalist’s death
Al Jazeera filed a lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice on Tuesday over the death of its correspondent, Shireen Abu Akleh.
Photo by Hillel Maeir/TPS
Abu Akleh, a 51-year-old American-Palestinian journalist, was killed in Jenin while covering a heavy shootout between Palestinian terrorists and Israeli soldiers. A statement issued by the Qatari network claims that Israeli soldiers deliberately fired at her and said its own investigation “unearthed new evidence based on several eyewitness accounts, the examination of multiple items of video footage, and forensic evidence.”
A bullet that was examined by Israeli and American forensic investigators was too badly damaged to conclude who fired it.
Reacting to the legal action, outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid said, “No one will interrogate the IDF soldiers and no one will preach to us about fighting morals, certainly not the Al Jazeera network.”
In a statement, outgoing Defense Minister Benny Gantz said, “I expressed my condolences following the passing of Shireen Abu Akleh. At the same time, we must remember that this was a combat scenario, which was investigated thoroughly,” adding, “I suggest that officials and Al Jazeera representatives go investigate what is happening to reporters in Iran and nearby regions where Al Jazeera operates.”
The FBI announced in November that it was opening its own investigation. Israeli leaders said they will not cooperate with the FBI’s investigation.
The raid in Jenin was part of Israel’s Operation Wave Breaker, launched following a surge of Palestinian terror attacks in the spring which killed 19 people. Overall, 31 people have been killed in Palestinian terror attacks in 2022.
