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Veteran Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American who was among the network’s most prominent figures, was shot dead Wednesday as she covered an Israeli army raid in the occupied West Bank.
The Qatar-based TV channel said Israeli forces shot Abu Akleh, 51, deliberately and “in cold blood” while she was covering unrest in the Jenin refugee camp.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett initially said it was “likely” that Palestinian gunfire killed her. Bennett said it appeared likely that Palestinians, “firing indiscriminately”, were responsible.
But Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz was more circumspect. “Our initial findings from the investigation so far cannot indicate what gunfire was directed at Shireen, and I cannot exclude any option under the operational chaos on the ground,” Gantz told reporters.
Later on Wednesday, Israel’s military chief backed away from initial claims that Palestinian militants might have been responsible for Abu Akleh’s killing. “At this stage we cannot determine by whose fire she was harmed and we regret her death,” said Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi, adding that the investigation was ongoing.
An AFP photographer said Abu Akleh was wearing a press flak jacket when she was shot. The photographer reported that Israeli forces were firing in the area and then saw Abu Akleh’s body lying on the ground.
There were no Palestinian gunmen visible in the area when Abu Akleh was killed, the AFP photographer added.
His account was corroborated by Abu Akleh’s colleague, producer Ali al-Samudi, who was wounded in the incident.
Samudi said there were no Palestinian fighters in the area where Abu Akleh was shot.
“If there were resistance fighters, we would not have gone into the area,” he said in testimony posted online.
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Source : france24
