Shireen Abu Aqleh, one of the first generation of field correspondents in Al-Jazeera, was born in Jerusalem in 1971, and was assassinated by the occupation bullets on May 11, 2022, while covering the Israeli attack on Jenin.

Birth and upbringing

Sherine Nasri Antoun Abu Aqleh was born in the occupied city of Jerusalem in 1971, to a Palestinian Christian family, hailing from the city of Bethlehem in the West Bank.

She obtained American citizenship from her parents, but she did not live in America, and her parents died a few years before her assassination, and she has one brother, Tony Nasri Abu Aqila.


Sherine through the eyes of her colleagues

Her colleagues describe her as brave, courageous, calm, and distinguished by her high morals and professionalism.

"I consider her one of the most powerful journalists in the Arab world. I teach her reports to my students at Birzeit University and in the Gaza Strip," said Muhammad Daraghmeh, a journalist who teaches at Birzeit University.

He added, "She does not put her feelings in the news, which she was keen to present objectively and impartially. Her sentences were characterized by short, intense sentences, and the pace of her voice was calm and did not carry incitement."

Many wondered if she was not afraid of her dangerous coverage, and she replied in an interview with An-Najah News Agency, "Of course I am often afraid during reporting," adding, "I do not throw myself to death, I am looking for a safe place to stand and work to protect Our press crew before I worry about the footage."

She was known for her principle, which says, "I do not want to politicize my story. I want to give facts and information."

Study and training

Sherine completed her secondary education at the Rosary Sisters School in Beit Hanina in the Holy City.

She studied architecture at the University of Science and Technology in Jordan in response to her parents' wish.

Then she went to study written journalism and obtained a BA in Mass Communication from Yarmouk University in Jordan, and returned to Palestine after graduating.

She received a diploma in digital media from Birzeit University in Palestine.


media experience

After her return to Palestine, she worked with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), then on Voice of Palestine Radio and Amman Satellite Channel, then on Monte Carlo Radio and the Miftah Foundation, and finally moved to Al Jazeera satellite channel in 1997.

She was one of the first correspondents to join the Al Jazeera branch in Palestine a year after its founding, and worked for 25 years as a field correspondent, before conveying her last lines via e-mail to her colleagues in Al Jazeera channel in Doha on the morning of her assassination, and telling them that "the occupation army stormed the city of Jenin and besieged a house there." And that it will provide them with the news as soon as the picture becomes clear, so that it will be the news in the end.

Israel accused her more than once of photographing security areas, and said that she had always felt that she was being targeted by the occupation, not to mention that she was harassed by armed settlers during her work.

Shireen witnessed pivotal events in Palestine, including the Al-Aqsa Intifada (the second intifada) between 2000 and 2004 and the invasion of Jenin and Tulkarm camp in 2002, in addition to the raids and military operations in the Gaza Strip.

She was the first Arab journalist allowed to enter Ashkelon prison in 2005, during which she interviewed Palestinian prisoners who have been imprisoned for more than 20 years. She described her visit as "the most influential" and reported their suffering to their families and the world.

She and her colleagues were subjected to abuse and assault by the occupation army, as a result of which she was shot by the occupation more than once and in different places.

It had an impact in the Arab region, where it moved to cover several events, so it went to Egypt after the reopening of Al Jazeera's office in Cairo, and the channel chose it to be the first to open its broadcast there in July 2021, to visit Doha after that.

I was also sent to cover the 2020 US elections.

From what Sherine Abu Aqleh said about her career, "I chose journalism to be close to people. It is not easy, perhaps to change reality, but at least I was able to convey that voice to the world... I am Sherine Abu Aqleh."


Tasks and achievements

  • She covered most of the Israeli occupation wars, attacks and attacks since the beginning of her journalistic career.

  • One of the first field correspondents in Al Jazeera from Palestine.

  • Covered a lot of news inside and outside Palestine.

  • Shireen did not leave a Palestinian village, city or camp without preparing a newspaper story about it or from it.

  • She was the first Arab journalist to be allowed into Ashkelon prison in 2005.

assassination

On May 11, 2022, during a series of Israeli attacks on the West Bank and during her coverage of the storming of Jenin in the Jabriyat area between Jenin refugee camp and Burqin village, west of Jenin, an Israeli sniper hit her with a bullet behind her ear, and hit the shoulder of her colleague Ali al-Samudi, who works as a producer for Al-Jazeera channel in Jenin.

The story of her colleagues in the field at the time of her assassination

Two journalists, Ali Al-Samoudi and Mujahid Al-Saadi, who were next to Sherine when she was injured, said that the occupation army deliberately fired directly at the journalists, "knowing that there were no armed men, there were no confrontations, and the area was safe."

Al-Saadi said, "We tried to expose ourselves to the occupation to make it clear to them that we are journalists so that we would not be targeted. We were aware that the situation was difficult, and we gradually advanced to show that we are journalists."

This was confirmed by Walid Al-Omari, director of Al-Jazeera channel in Palestine, who said that there were no confrontations and that Israeli army snipers were on the roofs of the houses, and that Shireen was shot by these snipers.

Journalist Shaza Hanaisheh, who was next to Sherine at the time of her injury, said that she was wearing the press shield and helmet, and added that whoever shot her intended to kill her, and that what happened was an "assassination crime", and that the journalists "were the target of the occupation."

6 field investigations confirm the assassination of Shirin by Israeli bullets


island investigation

Al Jazeera network announced that the file of the assassination of colleague Sherine Abu Aqleh was referred to the International Criminal Court, and formed a legal alliance to follow up the crime in international judicial bodies.

Al-Jazeera published a picture of the bullet with which colleague Shireen Abu Aqleh was assassinated, showing that the bullet was fired from an M4 rifle.

The bullet was 5.56 mm caliber, and it was used by the occupation forces. It was found that the bullet had been deformed after it entered Shireen's head and hit the helmet she was wearing.

The investigation showed a re-simulation using 3D technology to learn more about the type of bullet used, its caliber, and the type of guns likely to be used to fire this type of bullets.

Al-Jazeera's analysis was based on the opinions of military experts, and shows that the bullet used in the assassination of Shirin is of an armor-piercing type.


Palestinian Authority

The Palestinian Public Prosecutor, Akram Al-Khatib, confirmed that an Israeli occupation soldier shot Shireen in the head while she was trying to escape, noting that the bullet that killed the martyred colleague contained an iron part that pierces armor.

He explained that the bullet that killed Shireen Abu Aqleh had a diameter of 5.56 millimeters, and was used by the occupation forces, and that the cause of death was a brain injury, indicating that she was in an escape position.

He pointed out that the Israeli army was seeing the journalists clearly and openly, and that they clearly showed themselves to the occupation forces in Jenin.

The Palestinian Public Prosecutor said, "We have facts and data that enable us to confront any Israeli narrative," stressing that the investigation was purely Palestinian, without any external participation.

The Public Prosecutor affirmed that the Palestinian Authority will never hand over the bullet that killed Shireen Abu Aqleh to the Israeli side, and will not accept a joint investigation with the occupation.

"We decided to refer the file of Shirin Abu Aqleh to the International Criminal Court, to hold Israel accountable for its crimes," he added.


The confusion of the Israeli novels

first novel

On May 11, 2022 (the day of the assassination of Abu Aqila), the first story reported by Israeli media and websites, and attributed to a military source, came that the army "neutralized terrorists in Jenin camp", but quickly removed it from its sites, after it became clear that two journalists were injured, They are Ali Al-Samudi, and Sherine Abu Aqleh.

The second novel

On the same day, an Israeli army account indicated that initial estimates, contrary to what was published in the Arab media, were that Al-Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Aqila was killed as a result of Palestinian gunmen's fire in Jenin refugee camp during her news coverage.

The third novel

The third story came on the evening of the colleague's assassination by Israeli Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi, who said that at this stage the source of the shooting could not be determined, and that a special team was formed to clarify the facts and present them in full, and as soon as possible.

Fourth novel

Also on the same day, the fourth version of the Israeli army reported that it had launched an investigation, and had formed a professional team to discuss the circumstances of the killing of Shireen Abu Aqleh, and it would reach the truth.

The fifth novel

On May 15, 2022, an Israeli official revealed that an Israeli soldier, who was carrying a rifle equipped with a telescopic lens, fired from about 190 meters away from the colleague Abu Aqila, and he may have hit her.

The sixth novel

On May 19, 2022, the Israeli army announced its refusal to open a criminal investigation into the circumstances of the assassination of colleague Shireen Abu Akleh.


The American position

Washington announced on July 4, 2022 that the US security coordinator concluded, after reviewing two separate investigations conducted by the Israeli army and the Palestinian Authority, in addition to a forensic analysis, that our colleague Shireen Abu Aqleh was likely killed by shooting from the Israeli army position.

The US State Department also said that the coordinator did not find any reason to believe that Shirin's killing was premeditated, but that it was "the result of tragic circumstances during a military operation," as it put it.

American press investigations

"CNN"

In its investigation, CNN said that it had collected evidence confirming that the Israeli army targeted Al-Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Aqleh in Jenin, and that the analysis of bullet marks in the tree in which Shireen took shelter indicates that she was deliberately targeted for her assassination.

The investigation indicated that "there were no armed men or armed confrontations near Shirin Abu Aqleh during the moments prior to her killing... and that she had been targeted by the Israeli forces."

Associated Press

In turn, the Associated Press said its investigation reinforces the assertions of the Palestinian authorities and the deceased's colleagues that the bullet that killed Abu Aqila came from an Israeli soldier's rifle.

The agency stated that its results are consistent with the findings of the Bellingcat Group - an investigative journalism group based in the Netherlands - that the occupation forces were close to Shirin's site, and confirms the clarity of its location to them, based on an analysis of videos and interviews of eyewitnesses, which suggests that the targeting of her forces.

She added that these footage showed journalists and passersby fleeing from the gunfire that was fired from the direction of the Israeli army vehicles.

According to the agency's report, the only confirmed presence of Palestinian gunmen was on the other side of the Israeli forces, about 300 meters away, separated from Abu Aqila by buildings and walls, which refutes the second Israeli narrative.


Washington Post investigation

The American newspaper "The Washington Post" announced in its investigation that it is possible that Al-Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Aqleh was killed by an Israeli soldier's bullet.

The newspaper subjected 15 video clips to analysis and review, and it was found that there were no armed men in the area, and that an Israeli soldier probably shot and killed the Al-Jazeera correspondent.

The sound of shooting was also analyzed at the time of the incident by two specialized experts, and they revealed that the shooting took place from a distance almost identical to the distance between the journalists and the location of the Israeli army.

The investigation denied the hypothesis that Shireen was shot by a Palestinian, and confirmed the veracity of the accounts and testimonies that emerged after the killing of the Al-Jazeera correspondent.

The New York Times

The investigation of the American newspaper "The New York Times" confirmed that the bullet that killed Shirin was fired by an elite Israeli soldier, and that there were no Palestinian gunmen at the scene.

The investigation said that the evidence confirms that 16 bullets were fired from the site of the Israeli forces, which contradicts the occupation narrative, and indicated that the bullet that killed Shireen was fired from the site where the Israeli military convoy was located.