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UN investigation: Israeli military killed Abu Akleh

Jerusalem24 – The Israeli military, not armed Palestinians, shot the bullet that killed Shireen Abu Akleh, the United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) announced on Friday.

The veteran Al Jazeera journalist was killed by an Israeli sniper as she covered an Israeli raid on the refugee camp in Jenin in the occupied West Bank on the morning of 11 May.

The UN investigation becomes the seventh independent probe into the killing of Abu Akleh to conclude that she was targeted and killed by Israeli occupation forces.

On 24 June OHCHR announced the results of their own investigation into the killing based on photos, videos, audio material, scene visits, consultations with experts, and interviews with eyewitnesses.

“Israeli forces were behind the fatal shooting of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the West Bank – not indiscriminate Palestinian firing.”

OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said that it was “deeply disturbing” that Israeli authorities have not conducted a criminal investigation.

The Israeli mission in Geneva rejected the UN conclusion and issued a statement claiming it was not yet possible to conclude who was responsible for the killing in light of the Palestinian Authority’s “refusal to conduct a joint investigation and hand over the bullet”.

On Saturday, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth revealed that the Israeli army is preparing for a new round of probes into the killing of Abu Akleh.

Several separate independent investigations conducted by the Palestinian Authority, human rights organization Al-Haq, and several international news outlets, including CNN, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and Associated Press, all concluded that Abu Akleh was targeted by Israeli forces.

 

 

 

 

Nadeen Alshaer

Alshaer is a Palestinian journalist, a Birzeit University graduate with a B.A. in TV and Radio Broadcasting Journalism. Alshaer has 6 years of experience in journalism. She currently works as a reporter, editor and presenter/producer for PBC-Palestine TV and Jerusalem24 radio. She’s a UN and Kelley School of Business alumna.

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