TIME: How did Israel try to change the facts of Abu Aqleh's killing from the first sight?

Washington

- At a time when Israel announced that its military police had not opened an investigation into the murder of colleague Shireen Abu Akleh, due to the exclusion of suspicion of a criminal act, TIME magazine revealed how Israel tried to cover up the killing just minutes after it occurred.

The Israeli position contradicted the American demands that came out of the White House, the State Department and a number of senior members of Congress, that "there should be an immediate and transparent investigation, and that those responsible should be held accountable."

Within half an hour of the murder of our colleague Shireen Abu Aqleh, the Israeli government's public relations machine went to work on a strategy of distortion and distortion of facts.

Israeli journalist Barak Ravid revealed in a report published by Walla in Hebrew that there were urgent consultations at the headquarters of Hasbara (The Truth About Israel Foundation, a non-profit organization to educate world public opinion about the realities of Israel in today's world). It is chaired by Dami Ayalon, the former Israeli ambassador to Washington, and representatives of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israeli Ministry of Defense participated in the meetings, and they decided that “their main goal is to try to ward off the narrative that was appearing in the international media, according to which Shirin Abu Aqleh was killed by Israeli fire.” ".

Time magazine pointed out that the English version of Barak Ravid's report, which he published on the American Axios website, did not include the information he published in the Hebrew version of the report, related to the meeting of Israeli officials and their agreement on the need to change the facts of the killing of Shirin Abu Akila circulated in the media. Global.

Journalist Ravid covers Israeli affairs and Middle East issues for "Axios" from Tel Aviv;

Where he is known for his extensive relations with Israeli sources.

Ravid had previously served in the Military Intelligence Corps while serving in the Israeli army, and Ravid's failure to mention the consultations of Israeli officials in his report to the Axios website surprised many commentators.

This called for Yosef Munir, the Palestinian-American activist, to tweet, highlighting the contradiction and fraud that Ravid tried to spread by withholding this information from American readers, and said, “This is really interesting, can you, Barak Ravid, help us understand what happened in the decision not to include this Information for English readers?

This is really interesting.

@BarakRavid can you help us understand what went into the decision to keep this information from English language readers?

https://t.co/bnQ3Jx5B6G pic.twitter.com/S29l9cRzz3

— Yousef Munayyer (@YousefMunayyer) May 18, 2022

Ravid responded to Munir by saying, "The short answer is; I didn't think this part and these details were interesting and important enough for an American audience. The part about Israel's use of this video from Jenin was mentioned in the English version of the report."

Short answer is – I didn't think it was interesting and important enough of a detail for an American audience.

The part about Israel using this video from Jenin was in the English edition too

— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) May 18, 2022

Video dilemma

Israel resorted to broadcasting a short videotape filmed that morning by Palestinian gunmen in a residential area, in which the men were heard saying they had shot a soldier.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett published the video, and claimed that since no Israeli soldiers were injured in Jenin that day, the footage was evidence that the gunmen had mistakenly killed Abu Aqila, after they assumed she was an Israeli soldier because she was wearing her body armor and head covering.

The Time magazine report indicated that, after Al-Jazeera published footage showing Abu Aqila lying on the ground after she was injured, and her colleagues trying to reach her helplessly as bullets continued to fly, at a time when the word “PRESS” was visible in large letters on the Her protective jacket.

The report highlighted that the Palestinians' rejection of the bilateral investigation with the Israeli side is understandable, and the report cited what appeared to be a confession from the Israeli Minister of Diaspora, Nahman Shai, in a radio interview, where he said that "Israel's credibility is not great in such investigations."

Traditionally, when Palestinian Americans are attacked by Israeli forces, Israel rushes to investigate, but the process rarely ends with anyone being punished.

Four months ago, at Washington's request, Israel conducted an investigation into the murder of Omar Abdel Meguid, an elderly Palestinian-American, who was arrested by Israeli soldiers in the middle of the night after living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for nearly 40 years.

Abd al-Rahim died of a heart attack after the soldiers left him lying on the ground and gagged, his hands tightly bound and his eyes covered, after he was severely beaten.

The commander of the military unit was reprimanded, but the soldiers were not punished.

In 2014, 15-year-old Tarek Abu Khdeir was beaten by an Israeli policeman, who was then placed under house arrest.

After a video of the beating was broadcast, he was not allowed to return to Florida until it was revealed that he was an American citizen, and Israel opened an investigation at Washington's request.

An Israeli judge sentenced the police officer in charge to perform some voluntary community service, and the US State Department at the time expressed disappointment.