Shireen Abu Akleh was the icon of the Palestinian press and every journalist wanted to be like her, said Linda Shalash, one of her colleagues, highlighting that journalists in Palestine have always been a target of the Israeli occupation forces.
“Journalism in Palestine is not safe at all,” said Linda, adding that journalists feel that they are always close to death in Palestine.
Shireen Abu Akleh, 51, was born in Jerusalem. She began working for Al-Jazeera in 1997 and regularly reported on camera from across the Palestinian territories.
A well-known Palestinian reporter for Al-Jazeera’s Arabic language channel, Akleh was among the reporters who rushed to the northern city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank to cover an Israeli raid before she was shot dead by Israeli forces on Wednesday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Linda told Daily Sabah that Shireen represents the greatest example of a professional, courageous and energetic journalist. “I worked as a TV reporter from the West Bank for nine years. I have never felt safe or secure. Like other Palestinian journalists, I have been subjected to several Israeli attacks and targeted with sound and gas bombs and rubber bullets during field coverage,” Linda said.
“She represents our collective memory from which we knew Palestine well, with its press coverage for more than two decades. I am not exaggerating if I say that Shireen is a model that will never be repeated. In terms of the human aspect, she was a very sensitive and humble journalist," said Linda, highlighting that everyone loved her.
“I am sure that every single Palestinian will miss her voice and reports.”
"According to eyewitnesses and fellow journalists who were with Shireen, she was targeted directly and deliberately by the Israeli occupation army. Therefore, I am sure that Shireen’s killing was intentional," said Linda, adding that she is the voice of Palestine, so it is not "surprising at all that she has been targeted."
Nasir Kous, the veteran journalist’s neighbor who also spoke to Daily Sabah, said that Shireen was “the voice of the Palestinian streets.”
Stating that the incident occurred Wednesday, Nasir said: “There were confrontations between the Palestinians and Israeli occupation forces, which broke in the Jenin camp. The shooting was random and there were snipers at different locations. Shireen was wounded and martyred. Her colleague, Ali Samoudi, who works as a photographer with Shireen, was also wounded.”
“I have known Shireen for more than 30 years. She had a good relationship with all Palestinians and entered many of their homes. She was a wonderful and humble person,” said Nasir.
“She never sided with any political faction. She was like a sister to me,” Nasir added. “She was always smiling. Although she always protected herself from injuries, she died from the bullets of the occupation.”
Israeli violations against journalists have been going on for a long time, Nasir said, pointing out that there are frequent attacks on Palestinian journalists in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
“There is a clear targeting of journalists who convey the truth and share the crimes of the occupation with the world,” Nasir added.
Stating that there are daily attacks on Palestinians, especially journalists, Nasir said: “They allow settlers to attack Palestinians without arresting them. Israel is adopting a new policy, which is to intensify the attacks and incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque. In the past few months, we have witnessed the Israeli violations against the Palestinians; there are dozens of dead, injured and arrested. The racism pursued by Israel will bring instability to the entire region."
“The martyrdom of Shireen united the whole world and showed the other side of the occupation and its crimes against the Palestinians,” said Nasir, noting that: “We all saw the continuation of the occupation by firing live bullets at journalists while trying to save Shireen.”
Highlighting that Shireen’s martyrdom will not change anything politically because all the violations are taking place in full view of the United States and the European Union, Nasir said, “They are still silent.”
Palestinians hope Shireen’s killing will be a turning point in international relations with the Israeli occupation.
Shaza Hanaysheh, a journalist with a Palestinian news website who was among the reporters, said they were wearing “Press” uniforms and Shireen was also wearing a helmet and a bullet-proof vest signed “Press.”
Speaking to the Eye On Palestine account on Instagram, she said that they were facing the Israeli snipers, and “it’s clear that they targeted us.”
“There weren’t many events in Jenin. We stood in a clear area for the Israeli army and they knew we were press. We came to a point and suddenly we were surprised by shooting from a place we don’t know,” she said.
She and Shireen were standing next to each other when the tragic incident happened. Shaza said: “There was a wall behind us and one tree between us. We tried to hide but the bullets were heavy and suddenly she fell on the ground. She did not move.”
Majdolin Hassona, another Palestinian journalist, told Eye On Palestine that certainly, what happened Wednesday was “intentional.”
“The occupation may not have intended to kill Shireen as itself but it was intended to kill the press and kill the truth by targeting Shireen and colleagues despite wearing the press uniform,” he said.
“In the end, the sniper knows that he executed a journalist, and perhaps he wants to send us a warning message so that we do not get close or expose his crimes, especially in Jenin camp.”
#Palestine | " We were covering the raid of the Israeli occupation forces when they suddenly opened fire at us, the first bullet hit me and the other killed Sherin, there wasn't any presence of Palestinian fighters in the area as occupation forces claim " pic.twitter.com/adzNARErsL
— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) May 11, 2022
Ali Samoudi, who was working as Shireen's producer, said he was also among a group of the reporters who went to cover the raid early Wednesday.
"We were covering the raid of the Israeli occupation forces when they suddenly opened fire at us. The first bullet hit me and the other killed Shireen,” said Samoudi, stating, "There was not any presence of Palestinian fighters in the area as occupation forces claim.”
