U.S. Secretary of State appears to have changed his tone under pressure from journalists, but previously demanded “transparency” and then an “independent” investigation into the murder of Palestinian journalist Sirene Abu Acre. Asked.
The United States called for an independent investigation into the killings of prominent Palestinian journalists after top executives were killed at a meeting.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken interrupted the event earlier this week to ask him about the killing of Sirine Abu Acre, who was killed by Israeli snipers while American journalists reported the attack on Genin. I stood on the stage when I did.
“What about Secretary of State Shireen Abu Akleh? She was killed by Israeli troops,” asked journalist Abby Martin.
“These are the greatest allies in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Israel,” she said, referring to the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed by a Saudi agent at the Kingdom Consulate in Istanbul.
“They killed American journalists and had no effect, and you’re sitting here talking about press freedom and democracy.
“Why isn’t Saudi Arabia or Israel that killed journalists accountable?” She asked.
In response to the question, Blinken described American citizens and Al Jazeera correspondent Abu Acre as “notable” and “mourned” for her murder.
“We are determined to track the facts and reach the truth of what happened,” he said, but he denied that the details of the case were not definitively established.
“We are looking for an independent and credible investigation. When that investigation is done, we will track the facts wherever they lead,” he added, but US officials say which party. Or it was not possible to clarify whether the group should conduct this investigation.
Blinken’s comment came a few days after US Republican Senator Mitt Romney sought transparency in the killing of veteran journalists, repeating a similar statement from the US State Department.
Abu Acre, long known for reports of Al Jazeera from the occupied territories, was killed by Israeli snipers on May 11. Palestinian officials say she was deliberately targeted, even though she was clearly identified as a member of the press.
With Tel Aviv’s main ally and Abu Acre’s status as a US citizen, the Biden administration has faced ongoing global pressure in the aftermath of her murder. This was exacerbated when a shocking scene from her funeral showed Israeli troops attacking her casket-side attendant carrying her casket.
When she was killed, Israeli authorities swiftly attempted to distort the facts of the case, claiming that nearby armed Palestinians might have shot her.
However, authorities were forced to immediately cancel the claim, following testimony from witnesses at the scene of the incident.
According to Israeli media reports, Israel has refused to conduct a criminal investigation into the killings, even though the Occupation Forces (IOF) soldiers have admitted the crime.
Investigations revealed that journalists were shot in areas not covered by her protective equipment, even though he claimed he did not see Abu Acre through his car. Last month, an investigation by the Palestinian Authority (PA) further proved that IOF soldiers intentionally shot and killed Abu Acre.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also submitted a letter to the International Criminal Court (ICC) on ongoing crimes against Palestinians, urging them to investigate the assassination of Abu Acre.
Al Jazeera’s Washington bureau chief Abdellahim Fukara also said he would conduct an investigation at an informal UN Security Council meeting in May.
“Al Jazeera’s position is very clear, Shireen Abu Akleh’s life is important, and a transparent and independent investigation into her murder by Israeli security forces and a serious breach of her funeral is also important,” Foukara said. I told the council. ..
Since then, the need for transparent investigations has increased, given that Israeli courts have regularly endorsed apartheid crimes against Palestinians.
In a meeting with the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos last month, Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Altani condemned the double standard in dealing with the killing of Abu Acre.
“A Palestinian-American journalist was killed in Palestine two weeks ago and then deprived of a majestic burial. Sirene has covered Palestinian suffering for decades, and Our hearts are broken, “said the Qatar leader.
