Al Jazeera takes the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh to the ICC
Al JazeeraDec 24, 2022
The Facts
On Tuesday, the Qatar-based Al Jazeera Media Network submitted a formal request to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the death of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American who worked for Al Jazeera for 25 years, was killed on May 11 after covering a raid at a refugee camp in Jenin in the West Bank. She was shot in the head while wearing a helmet and a bullet-proof vest marked "PRESS."
The Spin
Pro-Palestine narrative
Abu Akleh was intentionally murdered by Israeli forces while carrying out her job as a journalist. There was no "crossfire," she was clearly identified as a journalist, and other reporters at the scene said that they were shot at intentionally. The ICC must open an investigation and get justice for Abu Akleh's family.
Pro-Israel narrative
While tragic, Abu Akleh's death wasn't deliberate, as was found by multiple investigations. The IDF's probe — which included the US — thoroughly investigated the incident in an unbiased way, regardless of what Israel haters have said. An ICC investigation's findings would be no different.
