Investigation clarifies how journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was deliberately killed by the Israeli army
A memorial at the site where Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed, in Jenin in the West Bank.
© Majdi Mohammed-AP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Israeli responsibility for the death of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was no longer in doubt.
Even the Jewish state army ended up recognizing “
a probable shot from one of its soldiers
”.
But a new investigation clarifies the circumstances of his death.
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With our correspondent in Jerusalem
,
Sami Boukhelifa
The survey was conducted by Al Haq, a Palestinian human rights NGO, and Forensic Architecture, a British research group using architectural techniques and technology to investigate state violence.
It demonstrates that the murderous shooting which hit the star journalist of Al Jazeera last May, “
was a deliberate shooting
”, and not an error of the army.
►Also read: Israel: the army recognizes its "probable" responsibility in the death of Shireen Abu Akleh
Through never-before-seen videos, testimonies from journalists who accompanied Shireen Abu Akleh, mapping of the tragedy area using a drone, sound analysis of the shots and a 3D reconstruction, the new investigation traces, second by second, the tragedy that cost the life of the Al Jazeera journalist.
shoot to kill
The 3D reconstruction takes us into the Israeli tank, positioned 200 meters from the journalists.
It immerses us in the telescope of the Israeli sniper.
This rifle scope allows a 4x zoom, according to information made public by the army itself.
We then see exactly what the soldier had in his line of sight: individuals with bulletproof vests, on which appears the word “press” in English.
There is no possible misidentification.
And yet, the shooter opens fire several times.
Shireen Abu Akleh is shot in the head.
His colleague, Ali Samoudi, is injured in the upper back.
All other bullet holes noted at the crime scene are at eye level.
In military jargon, this is called "
shoot to kill
".
What is Israel's interest in targeting journalists?
It was reporter Ali Samoudi, himself injured that day, who replied: “
Israel places no value on the lives of Palestinians.
If we were not journalists for an international media, our death would not have moved anyone
”.
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