Topic: Shireen Abu Akleh: Palestine’s reporter

[Mimi]

Shireen Abu Akleh was one of the best known reporters in the world who was a Palestinian Catholic, and an American citizen. On May 12, she was assassinated by Israeli forces while on assignment for Al Jazeera in Jenin in the occupied West Bank.

The story of the incident can be found here:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/11/shireen-abu-akleh-israeli-forces-kill-al-jazeera-journalist

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/11/al-jazeeras-shireen-abu-akleh

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/5/12/some-truths-about-shireen-abu-aklehs-murder

Born in Jerusalem in 1971, Abu Akleh, who was a Christian, initially studied architecture before switching to journalism at Yarmouk University in Jordan. After graduating, she returned to Palestine and worked for several media outlets, including Voice of Palestine Radio and the Amman Satellite Channel. She joined Al Jazeera Media Network a year after it was launched in 1996, as one of the Qatar-based Arabic-language network’s first field correspondents and gained fame for her coverage of the second Palestinian Intifada in 2000.

“I chose journalism to be close to the people,” Abu Akleh said in one video. “It might not be easy to change the reality, but at least I could bring their voice to the world.”

As a television journalist, Abu Akleh covered events big and small, from the Gaza wars of 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014 and 2021 to the daring jailbreak of six Palestinians who escaped a maximum-security prison in northern Israel last September. She also covered regional news, including the war in Lebanon in 2006.

During the height of the second Intifada, Hatuqa recalled Israeli soldiers going around the Palestine city of Ramallah and “mimicking her, shouting from a bullhorn her famous closing lines: Shireen Abu Akleh, Al Jazeera, Ramallah”.

But, unlike so many other murdered Palestinians, including four boys who were dismembered by an Israeli missile while playing football on a beach, Abu Akleh was well-known. She was on TV. She was popular. She was admired and respected because she told the truth about the cruelty Palestinians suffer and endure every day.

So, her murder, unlike the murders of so many other Palestinians made news in Europe and North America.

I do not remember the US ambassadors to Israel or the United Nations, the State Department or the White House acknowledging, let alone condemning, any one of the slayings, since 2000, of 46 Palestinian journalists or saying anything about the 144 Palestinian journalists who have, since 2018, been shot with rubber or steel bullets, tear-gassed or had stun grenades fired at them.

Israel’s response was predictably horrific: lying about the incident, raiding her home, and disrupting her funeral (at one point separating the Muslim from the Christian mourners).

The rest of the  world’s reaction is what matters though. Particularly the reactions of the countries who claim to be democracies and who profess they believe in a free press.

Germany has banned a vigil in her memory, which does not seem particularly democratic: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/13/germany-bans-vigil-in-memory-of-journalist-killed-by-israel

The reactions of other countries is a bit more mealy-mouthed. Like my country:

From Melanie Joly’s Twitter:

Mélanie Joly
@melaniejoly

Canada government official
Canada calls for a thorough investigation into the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh.
 
We must ensure that rights of journalists are upheld globally and that they are free and safe to bring their work to light.

It’s nice words, but other democratic countries need to do more such as imposing sanctions on another democratic country that is deliberately destroying the free press in order to support the truth about its own actions. Still no explanation for why Israel bombed the AP building last year.

What’s the difference between Israel assassinating Shireen Abu Akleh and Putin targeting journalists in Ukraine (https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/24/journalists-killed-ukraine-russia-war/) or MBS’s assassination of Jamal Khashoggi? None.

[AndyMuller]

Absolutely shocking. Israel can get to fuck.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Absolutely shocking. Israel can get to fuck.

People were throwing stones ffs,what other than attacking the pallbearers do you expect them to do ?

[TepidT2O]

On the funeral, here is what the Israeli police say happened.

1/7) Plans for the funeral procession of Shireen Abu-Akleh were coordinated in advance by the Israel Police together with the Abu-Akleh family

2/7) On Friday, about 300 rioters arrived at Saint Joseph hospital in Jerusalem and prevented the family members from loading the coffin onto the hearse to travel to the cemetery - as had been planned and coordinated with the family in advance

3/7) Instead, the mob threatened the driver of the hearse and then proceeded to carry the coffin on an unplanned procession to the cemetery by foot

4/7) This went against the wishes of the Abu-Akleh family and the security coordination's that had been planned to safeguard the large number of mourners

5/7) Israel Police instructed that the coffin be returned to the hearse, as did the EU ambassador and Abu-Akleh’s own family, but the mob refused

6/7) Israel Police intervened to disperse the mob and prevent them from taking the coffin, so that the funeral could proceed as planned in accordance with the wishes of the family

7/7) During the riot that was instigated by the mob, glass bottles and other objects were thrown, resulting in the injury of both mourners and Police officers

https://twitter.com/israelpolice/status/1525226565872893954?s=21&t=e_PNWLHSQ1UmaCK3OK4Nnw

Would be interesting to see if her family publicly confirm  that

[WhereAngelsPlay]

On the funeral, here is what the Israeli police say happened.

Would be interesting to see if her family publicly confirm  that

Shouldn't be long before we know.

[AndyMuller]

People were throwing stones ffs,what other than attacking the pallbearers do you expect them to do ?

They killed her then attacked the people carrying the coffin. Or was that sarcasm?

[TepidT2O]

They killed her then attacked the people carrying the coffin. Or was that sarcasm?

If the Israeli police are to be believed, the protestors took the coffin out of the hearse against the wishes of her family and paraded it around….hence the police attacks.

As always with these situations, it’s best to keep an open mic unto, we have all the facts

[AndyMuller]

If the Israeli police are to be believed, the protestors took the coffin out of the hearse against the wishes of her family and paraded it around….hence the police attacks.

As always with these situations, it’s best to keep an open mic unto, we have all the facts

They sound reliable.

[Mimi]

Israeli police can get to fuck. They released some undated photos of stones on the ground. Anyways, does throwing of stones justify separating the Muslims from the Christians? She was a reporter for all Palestinians. Not just the Christian Palestinian.

The state doesn’t get to put a bullet in your head and then control the narrative of what happens afterwards.

Like do we accept what Putin and MBS say?

Actual pictures and explanation of her funeral procession here: https://mobile.twitter.com/ZaidAmali/status/1525439019806498816

Also by now, I thought we all exercise critical thinking when it comes to police statements.

No two sides to this story.

[TepidT2O]

They sound reliable.

But you and I have no way of knowing that without more evidence.

[AndyMuller]

But you and I have no way of knowing that without more evidence.

Mate they killed her?

[Wool]

Why would anyone give them the benefit of the doubt? It’s mad, are we going to start taking Putin at his word and all?

[TepidT2O]

Mate they killed her?

Did they?

Do we have evidence that they did? 

For me, this remains disputed.  If you have information that I haven’t seen, do please post it.

Why would anyone give them the benefit of the doubt? It’s mad, are we going to start taking Putin at his word and all?

For me, it’s not about giving anyone the benefit of the doubt, it’s about not deciding something is true because it fits one’s narrative.

Now, that narrative may turn out to be correct, but making unsubstantiated claims doesn’t seem to help anyone in this situation imo

[oldfordie]

On the funeral, here is what the Israeli police say happened.

Would be interesting to see if her family publicly confirm  that

Adds up. would Israel really be so stupid to attack a the Pall bearers with batons, they would have known someone would have been filming the procession, I was wondering if the Pall bearers shouted murderers at them but that still didn't excuse the Israelis attacking them.

[TepidT2O]

Adds up. would Israel really be so stupid to attack a the Pall bearers with batons, they would have known someone would have been filming the procession, I was wondering if the Pall bearers shouted murderers at them but that still didn't excuse the Israelis attacking them.

It might turn out to be bollocks from the police of course. It’s not like they don’t have some form for this.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

They killed her then attacked the people carrying the coffin. Or was that sarcasm?

The latter.

[AndyMuller]

Did they?

Do we have evidence that they did? 

For me, this remains disputed.  If you have information that I haven’t seen, do please post it.

For me, it’s not about giving anyone the benefit of the doubt, it’s about not deciding something is true because it fits one’s narrative.

Now, that narrative may turn out to be correct, but making unsubstantiated claims doesn’t seem to help anyone in this situation imo

Ye what? Witnesses and the Palestinian Health Ministry have confirmed it was Israeli forces that shot her dead. Believe what you want anyway mate.

[AndyMuller]

The latter.

Just checking 

[oldfordie]

It might turn out to be bollocks from the police of course. It’s not like they don’t have some form for this.

Maybe, it's the time it's taken for this to become public that brings doubt, it should have been the first statement made by Israel. having said that I don't know when the statement was released.

[TepidT2O]

Ye what? Witnesses and the Palestinian Health Ministry have confirmed it was Israeli forces that shot her dead. Believe what you want anyway mate.

Do you have a source for that?

I don’t believe anything.  I simply stand for the position that I don’t know until the evidence is clear.

[AndyMuller]

Do you have a source for that?

I don’t believe anything.  I simply stand for the position that I don’t know until the evidence is clear.

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2022/5/11/shireen-abu-akleh-israeli-forces-kill-al-jazeera-journalist

[TepidT2O]

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2022/5/11/shireen-abu-akleh-israeli-forces-kill-al-jazeera-journalist

Thank you.

So it should be possible for Israel to provide some evidence of the Palestinian gunmen.

On the flip side, we should also wait for the autopsy mentioned inthe article. 

[bigbonedrawky]

Israeli police can get to fuck. They released some undated photos of stones on the ground. Anyways, does throwing of stones justify separating the Muslims from the Christians? She was a reporter for all Palestinians. Not just the Christian Palestinian.

The state doesn’t get to put a bullet in your head and then control the narrative of what happens afterwards.

Like do we accept what Putin and MBS say?

Actual pictures and explanation of her funeral procession here: https://mobile.twitter.com/ZaidAmali/status/1525439019806498816

Also by now, I thought we all exercise critical thinking when it comes to police statements.

No two sides to this story.

I watched the video of the Palestinian militants freedom fighters shooting down an alleyway towards some IDF with an assault rifle, this is the evidence the Israeli gov used to blame the Palestinian's
At the bottom of the alleyway and some 300 metre's to the right, is where Ali Alsoumdi was shot in the back and Shireen was shot in her head just under her helmet. In the video filmed in the immediate aftermath, you can hear high velocity sniper rounds firing at Shatha Hanaysha as she reaches out to her murdered friend ...I reckon the shots are fired from approx 250 metres away or approx  50 metres to the right of the bottom of the alleyway, (with the best rifle the US tax dollars can pay for ) where some of the IDF were grouped.   

On Thursday I watched the baton wiellding blackshirts bursting into her family home: to turn the music off, while tearing down Palestinian flags and threatening mourners
On Friday I watched live as the same blackshirts attacked the pall bearers outside the hospital and then again outside the cemetery and generally behaving like the fascist they are.

The best way to stop this never ending cycle of violence is BDS, a bit like Russia...
But never mind all that, our resident anti- fascist speaker will be along in a bit to tell us how BDS and criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic.

[The North Bank]

They kill her, they attack those carrying her coffin, and then use all forms of whataboutery to distort the truth, it happens time and time again. They only get away with it because the west allows them to, not because they have ever provided any convincing fact or argument that theyre in the right. The biggest problem they have now is mobile phones that can record their crimes live. They will still try to lie their way through that.
If all else fails, they claim anti Semitism, this one still has real traction. The footage of a man trying to hold up the coffin with one hand and protect his head from nasty evil facist hatred filled blows with the other is enough to sum up everything about Israel.

["21C or 70F?" SchizoidWeatherMan!]

But you and I have no way of knowing that without more evidence.

I dont see you extending the same "we don't know the facts yet" courtesy elsewhere.

This is not even debatable. Its documented all over the fucking internet.

Great to see the Bastion of human rights, justice and peace, the US and its 'allies' in Europe seriously condemn the incident and censure Israel. Oh wait, they didn't?

Israel - committing atrocities without repercussions for half a century. No sanctions, no boycotts, no nothing.

[TepidT2O]

I dont see you extending the same "we don't know the facts yet" courtesy elsewhere.

This is not even debatable. Its documented all over the fucking internet.

Great to see the Bastion of human rights, justice and peace, the US and its 'allies' in Europe seriously condemn the incident and censure Israel. Oh wait, they didn't?

Israel - committing atrocities without repercussions for half a century. No sanctions, no boycotts, no nothing.

You haven’t looked very hard then.

For me, establishing the actual facts in such a tinder box environment is of even higher importance than ekesewhere.

[Daniel Cabbaggio]

Terrible what happened, she was a great lady. Shameful.

[So... Howard Phillips]

Terrible what happened, she was a great lady. Shameful.

One of many war correspondents deliberately targeted, just like Marie Colvin.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47082088

[Mimi]

All this talk about assimilation is making my skin crawl. It also takes away from the absolute cruelty that Israel is inflcintimg upon thr Palestinians now. Can we park the historical arguments, please?

Shireen Abu Akleh was reporting on Palestine as it is now. Her reporting was nuanced and humane. Here she in 2016 reflecting on the role the media has in documenting rebellions:

This text was written by Shireen Abu Akleh in 2016 for Majallat al-Dirasat al-Filastiniyyah.  In it, she discusses the role of media coverage in Palestinian uprisings, specifically the “Popular Rebellion” of late 2015 and early 2016, which began as a response to Israeli raids on the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.  The article discusses the complex ways in which news media and social media interact with Palestinian resistance and opposition to the occupation.  The Institute for Palestine Studies is translating it and republishing it to commemorate the work of a brave and reflective journalist who was shot in cold blood by the Israeli military in the course of reporting on the latest Israeli assault on Palestinians under occupation.  The text is all the more poignant because it discusses Israeli attacks on the news media, the readiness of the Israeli military to use lethal force against unarmed civilians without provocation, and the ways in which Israel attempts to deny culpability for crimes committed against Palestinians under occupation.  It also reflects on the fact that Palestinian martyrs killed by the Israeli military are often portrayed as heroes and role models by local Palestinian media, whether or not they want to be seen as such.

https://www.palestine-studies.org/en/node/1652809

Although some months have already passed since the recent rebellion, a great deal of research and analysis are still needed to determine the causes that led to its inception, not to mention the specific course that it took and its consequences.  There is even considerable debate about how to label it.  While some named it the “Al-Aqsa Uprising,” others preferred to call it the “Uprising of Individuals,” since it was characterized mainly by individual actions.  Yet others called it the “Jerusalem Uprising.”  But the most common expression used to denote it among Palestinians was the “Popular Rebellion” (al-habba al-sha'biyyah), on the grounds that it didn't rise to the level of an uprising (intifada).  Yet the “rebellion” (habbah) shed its popular character a few weeks after its inception, a fact that some attributed to the absence of a political will to transform it into a third uprising, whether on the part of the Palestinian leadership or the political factions.

The rebellion was not just distinguished by its individualism but also by its youth.  According to a report published by the Israeli internal security services Shin Bet in February 2016, around half of those who participated in the operations that began in October 2015 were young people under twenty.  A large number also came from stable family backgrounds.  These data are worth analyzing further.

The media, including social media, played an active role in reporting the successive events in the rebellion.  The clearest evidence of this role is the fact that many of those who participated in militant operations posted statements on their social media accounts before undertaking them.  They were clearly strongly influenced by the images that they saw and events they read about in the West Bank, including Jerusalem.

The martyr Muhannad Halabi posted a number of messages on his Facebook account that clearly demonstrated that the situation at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which directly preceded the rebellion, had a direct impact on him.  He was especially moved by the suppression of the women keeping vigil at the compound (al-murabitat), which was widely covered in the news media.

Other martyrs were also influenced by the images of operations carried out by young Palestinians.  The martyr Ra'id Jaradat was clearly moved by the martyrdom of Dania Rashid, a young woman who was killed near the Ibrahimi Mosque in al-Khalil (Hebron) and whose photograph was published in the media.  The last thing he posted on his Facebook page was her bloodstained image with the comment: “Imagine if this were your sister.”

That brings to mind a scene that I heard about first-hand.  The mother of the martyr Sa'd al-Atrash told me that she and her son were eating together while watching the news when he suddenly stopped eating.  She asked him: “Why have you stopped?”  He answered: “How can I eat when there are such images in the news?”  Then he went to his room to pray, left his phone behind, and went out.  Soon afterwards, she heard the news of his martyrdom on television.

The martyr Amjad al-Sukkari, who was a sergeant in the Palestinian security forces, was also moved by coverage of Israeli killing in the media and wrote on his Facebook page: “Upon this land is that which deserves life,” (a line from the poet Mahmud Darwish), adding, “But unfortunately, I don't see anything deserving of life as long as the occupation is stifling our breath and killing our sisters and brothers.”  He concluded by addressing the martyrs directly: “You have preceded us and we will follow you.”

The last will of the martyr Baha' ‘Alyan was widely circulated on social media, especially on Facebook and Twitter.  It sheds light on the ideas and thought processes of the young people who initiated the rebellion, and it also had a massive impact on other people of his generation.  It read, in part: “I call on the political factions not to embrace my martyrdom.  My death was for the nation, not for them.  I don't want my picture on posters or T-shirts.  My memory won't be reduced to a mere poster hung on a wall.  I call on you not to burden my mother with your questions, which are just designed to play on the emotions of your audience.  Don't plant hatred in the heart of my son, let him discover his homeland, and let him die for the sake of his nation, not to avenge the death of his father.”

How Did the Media Contribute to the Rebellion?

Palestinian media undoubtedly played a vital role in reporting on events in the West Bank and conveying the news to local and global public opinion.  The widespread presence of modern means of communication, smartphones, social media, and local satellite stations contributed to the rapid dissemination of news, even when the events transpired in remote areas far from the urban centers.

But in addition to reporting on the news, the media managed to secure some limited achievements for Palestinians, notably in bolstering the popular movement advocating the return of the bodies of martyrs, which were held by Israel throughout the first three months of the rebellion.  On October 27, 2015, around 20,000 Palestinians in al-Khalil (Hebron) participated in a protest that called for the restoration of the bodies of martyrs, especially the two women, Bayan ‘Asayla and Dania Rashid.  Several days later, Israel began the process of returning all the bodies.

As a clear sign of the influence of the media, Israel placed a number of conditions on returning the martyrs' bodies, especially in the Jerusalem area, which is under complete Israeli control.  Among these conditions was limiting the numbers of those participating in the funeral and prohibiting media presence.  This was justified by the occupation forces as a means of avoiding disseminating scenes of bidding farewell to martyrs as heroes, images that had previously been circulated by the media.

The media was sometimes even a source of information for the families of martyrs.  On several occasions when I was covering events for Al Jazeera, I would ask the family of a martyr: “How did you find out about your son's martyrdom?”  And the reply was often: “From the media.”

Some might say that the media was inappropriately quick to report the names of victims, and there is some truth to that.  But it is also a reflection of the absence of any official Palestinian body whose responsibility it is to inform the families of martyrs, as is the case in many countries, including Israel, where the names of victims cannot be published until the family has been informed.

It's not surprising that Israel regards the media as an agitator against the occupation and takes extreme measures against the news media, such as shutting down three radio stations in al-Khalil (Hebron) and confiscating all their equipment. Those stations were Manbar al-Hurriya (Freedom Forum), Idha'at al-Khalil (al-Khalil Broadcasting), Idha'at Dream (Dream Broadcasting).  It also threatened to shut down Radio Nas (People Radio) in Jenin, and Radio One FM in al-Khalil.  Dozens of journalists have been injured by Israel with live ammunition and rubber-coated bullets in the course of their reporting.  And at least 19 have been arrested in the most recent assault, including: Muhammad Qaddumi, ‘Ali al-‘Awaywi, Usama Shahin, Mujahid al-Sa'di.  Most prominent among those incarcerated is Muhammad al-Qayq, who refused to be held in administrative detention and undertook a hunger strike that lasted 94 days, which ended with his administrative detention being suspended, but only after his health deteriorated and his life was under threat.

The War of Images

In the most recent rebellion, the media was at least able to undermine the Israeli narrative – if not refute it entirely – when it came to the martyrdom of many young men and women, notably in cases where there were no Israeli casualties.  It became clear during the recent rebellion that Israeli soldiers would not hesitate to pull the trigger on Palestinians on the barest suspicion of their intention to carry out an operation.  The media also succeeded in raising questions about Israel's killing of suspects, many of whom were minors, when there was no need to do so.  Images clearly showed numerous instances in which Palestinians were executed even though they posed no threat to soldiers' lives.  One of these was the execution of the young martyr Hadil ‘Awwad, who was just 14 years old, in the city of Jerusalem, by an Israeli security officer, even after she had been wounded and had fallen to the ground.

On October 14, 2015, Israeli soldiers opened fire on a young man, Basil Sidr, at Bab al-‘Amud (Damascus Gate) in occupied Jerusalem, on the pretext that he had tried to stab Israeli soldiers.  Media sources analyzed the images of the martyr, one of which showed him holding a knife in his hand.  Some claimed that the image had been doctored by Israel, since another photograph of him circulated by the media didn't show a knife.  If nothing else, this raised doubts about the Israeli narrative.

Israel also tried to use the news media to propagate its narrative, since many operations occurred near military checkpoints equipped with cameras.  The media broadcast photographs of the two cousins, Hasan Manasra (15 years old) and Ahmad Manasra (13 years old), who were accused of a stabbing operation in the settlement of Pisgat Ze'ev near Jerusalem.  Israel tried to prove that one of them was carrying a knife, after videos taken by eyewitnesses were circulated showing one of them, Ahmad, on the ground, having been run over at the scene by a car.  His body was lying on the ground and in the background, one could hear curses in Hebrew and calls for him to die.  Meanwhile, Israeli security forces could be seen preventing paramedics from approaching him.  These images generated widespread outrage among Palestinians and had an effect on broader public opinion.  A few days later, the Israeli authorities published images of the boy being fed in an Israeli hospital, in an attempt to control some of the damage caused to Israel's image internationally after the circulation of his image when he lay wounded.  It later emerged that the person feeding him in hospital was his lawyer.

The Factions and the Leadership

It's hard to discuss the recent rebellion without at least mentioning the role of the political leadership and the Palestinian political factions.  Or maybe it would be more accurate to say: without mentioning their absence.  After years of political impasse and the ongoing division between the two parts of the nation, and in light of the inability of the political factions to effect any change on the political scene, a general sense of alienation has arisen between the younger generation and the political leadership.

When it comes to the role of the younger generation, a particularly memorable initiative was one carried out by activists from the Popular Resistance in December 2012 and January 2013, which consisted in establishing the “Bab al-Shams” (Gate of the Sun) village on a stretch of land that was threatened with expropriation for Israeli settlement activity.  The village was an embodiment of the celebrated novel, Bab al-Shams, by Lebanese writer Elias Khoury.  It was a testament to the creativity of the younger generation and their drive to resist the occupation, and it was later adopted by the factions and leadership.  Bab al-Shams was a model of what could be accomplished by young people and it generated wide interest among the general public and in the media.  Days after it was established, Israel destroyed the village and violently prevented all similar attempts, and the young men and women weren't able to build on that pioneering experiment.

Since that time, the alienation between the political leadership and young Palestinians has grown.  Meanwhile, the level of oppression practiced on a daily basis by the occupation authorities has also increased.  The image of the martyr as hero and role model filled the vacuum experienced by the youth.  And the media certainly played a role in reinforcing that image and disseminating it.

The Image of the Martyr in the Media

The local news media generally propagate the image of the martyr as a role model and hero.  The families of martyrs are often enlisted to glorify martyrdom, irrespective of their actual feelings.  On October 27, 2015, I was covering the funeral of Iyad Jaradat, who was martyred in the town of Sa'ir northeast of al-Khalil (Hebron), when he was shot with a bullet to the head during confrontations with the Israeli occupation forces.  Approaching his mother before the arrival of the body, I wondered what I could possibly ask her.  As soon as I asked permission to interview her, relatives who were standing beside her began repeating the stock phrases used in the aftermath of martyrdom.  “Tell them that he died for the sake of al-Aqsa, the nation, Palestine, and Jerusalem.”  So I reformulated my question: “Is it any consolation to you that your son died for the sake of al-Aqsa?”  She raised a finger to indicate negation and said: “No, nothing can be a consolation.”

Despite the crucial role that the media played in emphasizing the human side of martyrs and their personal stories, which ensured that many of them were not just names to be added to the list of martyrs, the stereotypical image is still present.

Mistakes in Coverage

Some Palestinian satellite television channels carried continuous coverage of the recent events.  Despite the fact that they played a vital role in covering events, they have also fallen prey to a number of mistakes, notably an interest in delivering news scoops even at the expense of accuracy.  Competition with social media may have put pressure on some news media sources to broadcast information before confirming its accuracy.

One of the most prominent examples of such a mistake on the part of the news media, as well as social media channels, was the premature publication of the name of the person who carried out the Naqab operation of mid-October 2015.  Before confirming the accuracy of the information, they claimed that Sam al-A'raj, a young man from Jerusalem, had carried out the operation.  But it later turned out that the man who had actually carried out the operation was from Naqab (Negev) and had died a martyr.  Before this was widely known, Sam turned himself in to the occupation authorities to demonstrate that he had not participated in the operation.  The Israeli authorities nevertheless went on to subject him to a harsh interrogation and brought charges against him, including one for throwing stones.

Finally, it's impossible to ignore the political factors that have led some local media sources to fall into the trap of exaggerating some events, overstatement, and sloganeering, reflecting the editorial lines of their media outlets.  By contrast, the official Palestinian media has focused on routine news coverage and has never broadcast live around-the-clock coverage.

In Conclusion

The media frequently go beyond merely transmitting the news, and attempt to influence public opinion.  But it's important to bear in mind that this is a weapon that your opponent has too, and that any mistakes made in this regard can backfire.  There is an ongoing debate about some of the disturbing images of Palestinian martyrs that are regularly shown in the media.  By contrast, I don't remember having seen similar pictures of dead Israelis.  The Arab news media in particular has not given enough attention to privacy considerations when publishing the pictures of martyrs, even children, and this is something that they can be criticized for.  Some may claim that it's the duty of the media to expose the savage practices of the occupation, but the concern remains that viewers may become habituated to such images and that they may lose their impact, which is already happening.

[idontknow]

Hadn't heard of this, thanks for posting this Mimi, very very sad.

And her brother has spoken about Israeli actions at her funeral.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/16/middleeast/shireen-abu-akleh-brother-police-criticism-intl/index.html

Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh's brother slams violent actions of Israeli police at her funeral

I'll post the twitter link someone put up above too.

https://mobile.twitter.com/ZaidAmali/status/1525439019806498816

Incredible scenes, clearly an extraordinary journalist.

[TepidT2O]

Hadn't heard of this, thanks for posting this Mimi, very very sad.

And her brother has spoken about Israeli actions at her funeral.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/16/middleeast/shireen-abu-akleh-brother-police-criticism-intl/index.html

Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh's brother slams violent actions of Israeli police at her funeral

I'll post the twitter link someone put up above too.

https://mobile.twitter.com/ZaidAmali/status/1525439019806498816

Incredible scenes, clearly an extraordinary journalist.

Thank you, that’s a really useful article.

[idontknow]

Does anyone have a link to her work.
I've looked but I am a bit lost internet hunting.
She must have done and written so so much to get the incredible reaction at her funeral in Palestine, but I'm stuck finding it.
Obviously, I'm not the best researcher, but normally I can find something.
I think it is important to find her work, read it, understand it as best, but save it, archive it.

RIP
.

[bigbonedrawky]

So we're back to deleting posts are we  who complained ?
The reason why Shireen was murdered was because she highlighted the racist policies and war-crimes of The State of Israel and her murderer knows he'll get away with it.
The reason The State of Israel get's away with murdering Men, Women and Children and operating Aparthied policies is bacause, people will turn a blind eye and silence any critisim,
quite often using claims of 'anti semitism' to shut down debate.

[the 92A]

Posts on both sides were deleted that didn’t directly relate to this in incident and the scenes of the funeral being attacked.  Of course there is political context but we don’t want the thread to veer off into a general debate on the situation because like debates on Ireland it is too contentious for a football site

[Wool]

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israeli-military-will-not-conduct-criminal-probe-into-al-jazeera-reporter-s-death-1.10808866

Maj. Gen. Avichai Mendelblit, instituted a protocol whereby in most cases in which Palestinian civilians were killed in the West Bank and there was a suspicion that it was caused by Israeli gunfire, a probe by the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division – better known by its Hebrew acronym, Metzah – was opened. This is in contrast to cases in which armed activists were killed in an exchange of fire with IDF forces and in contrast to incidents during fighting in the Gaza Strip, which are rarely investigated by Metzah.

This time, however, the Military Advocate General, Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, refrained from ordering a Metzah probe. The main reason for this is that there is no suspicion of a criminal act: The soldiers testified that they did not see the journalist at all and aimed their fire at gunmen, who were indeed nearby. However, it seems that one of the reasons for the decision was the belief that such an investigation, which would necessitate questioning as potential criminal suspects soldiers for their actions during a military operation, would provoke opposition and controversy within the IDF and in Israeli society in general.

The nonprofit organization Yesh Din said the decision not to authorize the military police to investigate the incident showed that "the army law enforcement mechanisms no longer even bother to give the appearance of investigating.

Says it all.

[The North Bank]

There’s nothing to investigate because executing Palestinians has never been a crime. In the only democracy in the region.

[Machae]

There’s nothing to investigate because executing Palestinians has never been a crime. In the only democracy in the region.

I've read somewhere, maybe reddit, that she had a helmet, body armour and a jacket in high viz marked journalist and the gunshot was so precise, that it had to be a sniper

[The North Bank]

I've read somewhere, maybe reddit, that she had a helmet, body armour and a jacket in high viz marked journalist and the gunshot was so precise, that it had to be a sniper

It was definitely a sniper, but you should see the western media/public backlash at anyone insinuating that in the days after she was killed. The muddying of waters, whataboutery, and need for all evidence to be presented first, was in overdrive. Not sure why as all they had to do was say yes they killed her because they can (as they eventually did with this statement). Only democracy / surrounded by enemies/ right to defend itself/ never again.

[TepidT2O]

It was definitely a sniper, but you should see the western media/public backlash at anyone insinuating that in the days after she was killed. The muddying of waters, whataboutery, and need for all evidence to be presented first, was in overdrive. Not sure why as all they had to do was say yes they killed her because they can (as they eventually did with this statement). Only democracy / surrounded by enemies/ right to defend itself/ never again.

How do we know it was a sniper? Presumably we can tell from the bullet type??

[The North Bank]

How do we know it was a sniper? Presumably we can tell from the bullet type??

Is she even dead, until we see the body.


The Israeli sniper who fired the live bullet that killed journalist Shireen Abu Akleh claimed he did not see her and did not know who she was, Haaretz reported yesterday.

An Israel army officer told the paper that a soldier sitting in an army vehicle with a rifle equipped with a telescopic lens fired at Abu Akleh from 190 metres away, killing her.

The soldier said he did not know he shot at Abu Akleh when he fired, had not seen her, and did not know her identity, the paper added.

The soldier attempted to target an armed Palestinian who appeared behind the wall the journalists were sheltering in front of, the investigation claimed. "The journalists were a short distance behind him," it added.