Al-Jazeera plans to take the death of its journalist to the International Criminal Court. Israel disputes the findings of the Palestinian investigation.
An investigation by the Palestinian Authority finds that an Israeli soldier has deliberately killed an al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aklehin. Abu Akleh died in Jenin on the West Bank on May 11 while he was reporting on a raid by Israeli forces.
Minister of Justice of the Palestinian Authority Akram al-Khateebin according to it is a war crime and a violation of international law.
Al-Jazeera says he is preparing to take the case to the International Criminal Court. According to the court’s statute, attacking a journalist in a war zone is a war crime.
According to eyewitnesses, Abu Akleh wore a bulletproof vest and a helmet with international press emblems at the time of his death, from which he could be identified as a journalist. The bullet that killed him hit under the edge of the helmet.
The Israeli authorities have considered it possible that Abu Akleh may also have died as a result of a Palestinian misstep or accidentally killed by an Israeli soldier.
Report: Bullet holes in a tree indicate intent
According to the report, bullet holes in a nearby tree suggest that the upper body has been aimed for killing. News channel CNN also highlighted numerous holes left in the tree earlier this week as evidence that the soldiers had deliberately targeted the reporter.
In addition, according to the Palestinian report, Israeli forces were the only source of fire.
– All these facts: the type of projectile, the weapon, the distance, the absence of obstructions and the fact that he was wearing a press jacket lead us to conclude that Abu Akleh was the target of murder, al-Khateeb says in the report.
Israeli authorities dispute the findings of the Palestinian investigation. Minister of Defense Benny Gantz said the Israeli army would never intentionally attack the journalist. Gantz accuses the Palestinians of refusing to cooperate.
The Palestinian Authority has refused to hand over the bullet that killed the journalist to the Israeli authorities for investigation. The reason, according to the Palestinians, is a lack of trust.