Apartheid Israel Murders Noted Palestinian/American Journalist in Cold Blood

Cold-blooded murder of Palestinians is longstanding apartheid Israeli policy.

Accountability almost never follows the worst of its criminal actions — nor condemnation as it should be by the US/West.

Born in Jerusalem, longtime Al Jazeera correspondent, Shireen Abu Akleh, was lethally shot in the head by Israeli gunmen while covering a Bennett regime raid on a Jenin refugee camp in the Occupied West Bank.

Wearing a flak jacket that clearly ID’d her as a member of the press — and a helmet — an Israeli sniper’s bullet aimed at her ear killed her.

Colleagues who tried to aid her were wounded.

Nothing less than Israeli accountability for cold-blooded murder is acceptable.

At the same time, the chance for justice is virtually nil — even if indisputable evidence is beyond contradiction.

One of the Arab world’s leading journalists, no ambiguity exists about who bears responsibility for her cold-blooded murder.

Reporting on her Wednesday death, Al Jazeera said her “killing sent shockwaves throughout Palestine and the Arab world,” adding:

A “veteran correspondent for Al Jazeera Arabic television, (she joined the broadcaster) in 1997, a year after its launch.”

Palestinians remember her coverage of the Second Intifada.

Begun on September 28, 2000, it followed Ariel Sharon’s provocative invasion of the Haram al-Sharif (the Nobel Sanctuary) — protected by about 1,000 Israeli security forces.

Resistance followed. He responded violently until February 2005. 

Nearly 4,200 Palestinians died, including 866 children and 271 women.

Many more were wounded. Over 3,500 were permanently disabled. 

Over 550 assassinations were committed. Around 8,600 Palestinians were imprisoned.

Thousands of Palestinian homes were demolished to make way for Jews-only development on stolen Palestinian land.

Abu Akleh covered the horrors of Israeli high crimes against defenseless Palestinian men, women, children, the elderly and infirm.

Al Jazeera quoted Palestinian journalism student, Azhar Khalaf, saying:

“(N)ews of (Abu Akleh’s) martyrdom was like a slap on the face of every Palestinian,” adding:

She was a “media icon, (a) model.”

“She was in every home.”

“She felt the pain of every Palestinian and conveyed their pain.”

“She was the voice of truth and justice.”

Activist Hazem Abu Helal said the following about her:

“Everyone knew her not only for her work but also her involvement in the community.” 

“She was a part of many initiatives, in social and cultural events and organizations.”

Friends, colleagues and others called her “kind…professional…a national figure…deep-rooted in Jerusalem.”

On Friday, she’ll be buried in Jerusalem’s Old City.

Eye-witnesses confirmed that Israeli forces killed her.

The Bennett regime falsely blamed Palestinians for her death — the second American to be killed by Israel this year.

In January, 78-year-old US citizen Omar Assad suffered a stress-induced heart attack after he was arbitrarily detained, bound, blindfolded, gagged and brutalized by Israeli forces.

No accountability followed.

Nor did the State Department do anything to blame Israel for Assad’s death.

He was brutalized to death.

Abu Akleh’s killing was a targeted assassination — an Israeli and CIA specialty against individuals they want eliminated.

US support for Israel is one-sided at the expense of Palestinian rights and regional peace.

Turning truth on its head, the State Department fooled no one paying attention, falsely said:

It “has no higher priority than the safety and security of US citizens abroad” — ones it doesn’t give a hoot about unless they’re members of the US ruling elite or privileged class, no others anywhere.

True to form, the Biden regime called for Israel to investigate itself, to decide who’s responsible for Abu Akleh’s murder.

According to executive director of the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, Ahmad Anuznaid:

“You can’t ask the Israelis to investigate themselves when they’ve been abusing human rights for over 70 years and expect them to arrive at a different result that they’ve been arriving at after all these decades,” adding:

“These are atrocities that the international community has witnessed time and time again – whether recorded on live footage or not – and we have never seen accountability.”

Without exception, when Israel investigates crimes committed by its forces against Palestinians, whitewash always follows.

It’s been this way since 1948.

Like hegemon USA and complicit NATO regimes, apartheid Israel can never be trusted.

Reporting on Abu Akleh’s murder, the Middle East Eye said she was lethally “shot in the head (by Israeli forces) during her coverage of the incursion (into) a Jenin refugee camp.”

“(T)ransfered to Ibn Sina hospital,” she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Al Jazeera journalist/producer, Ali Asmoadi, was wounded by Israeli gunfire at the same time. He’s in stable condition.

According to Middle East Eye contributor Shatha Hanaysha, six journalists were together at the Jenin refuge camp when Israeli “snipers” fired on them.

Separately, Al Jazeera said that Israeli forces raided Abu Akleh’s house where mourners gathered to honor her.

“They confiscated Palestinian flags and prevented the playing of nationalistic songs.” 

B’Tselem tweeted the following:

“This morning, B’Tselem’s field researcher in Jenin documented the exact location in which Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed.”

“Documentation of Palestinian gunfire distributed by Israeli military cannot be the gunfire that killed Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.”

B’Tselem spokesman, Karim Jobran, said the following:

“The information we have proves that the Israeli army’s narrative (of blaming Palestinians for Abu Akleh’s killing) is untrue.” 

B’Tselem’s executive director, Hagai El Ad, stressed:

“No one should believe the Israeli promises to quote-unquote investigate what has happened because the promise of investigations are nothing but the first step in Israel’s organized whitewash,” adding:

“Israel is unable and unwilling to conduct such investigations which opens the door to international legal responsibility.”

On Wednesday, Rep. Rashida Tlaib — the first Palestinian-American and first Muslim woman to be elected to Congress — said the following:

“When will the world and those who stand by apartheid Israel that continues to murder, torture and commit war crimes finally say: ‘Enough?’ ”

“Shireen Abu Akleh was murdered by a government that receives unconditional funding by our country with zero accountability.”

“An American journalist clearly marked with press credentials was murdered.” 

“Doing and saying nothing just enables more killings.” 

“Whether you’re Palestinian, American, or not, being killed with US funding must stop.”

Note: Apartheid receives over $3.8 billion annually from the US.

It gets more on request, along with the latest US weapons, technology and unconditional US support.

At the same time, the US/West supports the highest of its high crimes while pretending otherwise.

By video on the 25th anniversary of Al Jazeera’s founding, Abu Akleh said the following:

“It’s not simple to change the reality about what’s happening in (Occupied) Palestine, but at least I was able to let their voices be heard by the world.”

No longer after an Israeli gunman silenced her — likely by planned-in-advance assassination.