The Zionist regime has killed 20 journalists since 2001 without incriminating itself

On the first anniversary of the killing of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh by a Zionist sniper, in Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said her killing was not an isolated case. The CPJ report documents 20 instances where the Zionist army killed journalists in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, but never held any responsibility, meaning no one was held accountable for their actions.

Several US news agencies have conducted independent investigations into Abu Aqleh's killing, including the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Associated Press, as well as the Dutch research collective Bellingcat and the CPJ. All concluded that the lethal fire was opened by the Israeli army. CNN found evidence of a deliberate attack, while London-based research group Forensic Architecture and human rights group al-Haq in Ramallah found evidence that an Israeli soldier shot Abu Aqleh and her colleagues with the intention of killing them.

According to Times of Israel military correspondent Amir Ben David, “months after the tragedy of Shireen's killing, the Israeli military investigation concluded that there was a 'high probability' that one of the soldiers shot her.' by mistake' during a firefight with Palestinian militants”.

In a report translated by Arabi21, Ben David said the Israeli army killed 18 Palestinian journalists and European foreign correspondents, without trying any soldiers or acknowledging its responsibility for the deaths. “The Israeli army,” he added, “constantly maintains that its soldiers are under attack and that the fatal shootings are retaliation […]. The Army provides no evidence to support its conclusions. In some cases, it classifies journalists as terrorists, and in other cases, the killing of journalists is not investigated at all."

The head of the Foreign Press Association in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Guillaume Lavallee, stressed that "most Israelis do not care about the deaths of Palestinians, even if they are journalists." This has created a very dangerous environment for local and foreign correspondents, many of whom fear being targeted by Israeli soldiers. "If it's possible to kill a journalist with a US passport, like Shireen, without legal consequences, the rest of the journalists fear they could easily meet the same fate."

After the Israeli attack on the Freedom Flotilla in 2010, during which nine Turkish nationals were killed aboard the MV Mavi Marmara, the Chief Military Prosecutor at the time, Avichai Mandelblit, realized that a problem was emerging with the Criminal Court International (ICC) in The Hague. There were fears that some Israelis, including high-ranking officials, might be arrested, which is why the Turkel Commission was established and international law experts were brought in from abroad.

When Abu Aqleh was killed, international pressure was intense, so the Zionist regime could not adopt the usual evasive strategies. He admitted, hesitantly, that it wasn't intentional and apologized. However, no one has been prosecuted, because there is no incentive for anyone in Israel to stand trial for the killing of a journalist; a conviction would ruin their lives. “Fifty occupations could be closed for them in civilian life for 17 years if they were found guilty.” The CPJ report confirms that Israel's targeting of Palestinian and foreign journalists is a carefully calculated political and security strategy that reflects state policy. The full report can be viewed here.