“There is a good chance that armed Palestinians, who fired widely, are the ones who led to the unfortunate death of the journalist.,” said Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
Israeli politicians responded to the death of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh in Jenin on Wednesday, with some condemning the IDF and others saying that the accusations against the IDF are unfounded and even amount to a “blood libel.”
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who said he holds Israeli forces “fully responsible” for her death, was throwing accusations at Israel “with no solid basis.”
Bennett said that according to the information that Israel currently has, “there is a good chance that armed Palestinians, who fired widely, are the ones who led to the unfortunate death of the journalist.
“Palestinians were even documented saying ‘we hit a soldier, he is lying on the ground. No soldier was injured, which raises the possibility that they shot and hit a journalist.”
Bennett added that “we back our fighters. IDF forces will continue to act against the terrorists in order to break the deadly wave of terrorism and restore security to the citizens of Israel.”
US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides said he was “Very sad to learn of the death of American and Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. I encourage a thorough investigation into the circumstances of her death.”
The Austrailian Ambassador to Israel, Paul Griffiths, added that “journalists must be protected in conflict zones”” and that he is “closely watching the outcome of the joint investigation.”
A heated argument broke out about Abu Akleh’s death in the Knesset Law Committee as it was meeting on Wednesday morning.
“I can not help but relate to the incident in these circumstances,” Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar said in the meeting.
“Every person’s death is tragic. The facts are that there was an operation by the security forces to arrest suspects in the Jenin terrorist camp and other locations in the region. I am reminding [you] that a number of murderers who killed Israeli citizens came from Jenin, and the activity there is essential. The specific incident involved massive firing and explosives — thank God there were no casualties to our forces.
“The Palestinians, as usual, hurried to launch a blood libel against the IDF, exactly 20 years from the previous blood libel following IDF activity in Operation Defensive Shield in the Jenin refugee camp, an event I am well aware of. According to our defense establishment, there are indications that the journalist was hit by Palestinian gunfire and not the IDF.
“The Palestinians refused Israel’s offer for a joint investigation, one has to wonder why. I think they refused because they have no interest in revealing the truth,” Sa’ar added.
Joint List MK Osama Saadi said in response: “There are seven testimonies of reporters in the field; instead of saying that you condemn and apologize for the murder, you call it a blood libel. This isn’t just a death, it is murder and execution of a prominent journalist.”
Other Israeli-Arab MKs also condemned Abu Akleh’s death.
“Sheerin Abu-Akleh was al-Jazeera’s face in the Arab world, a model of a brave journalist,” Joint List MK Ahmad Tibi wrote on Twitter.
“There is no justification in the world for lethal shooting at her or at journalists wherever they are. Once again, the army soldiers are harming journalists and their important work, and their presence on the ground is not taken into account. The regular statement that ‘the army is investigating the incident’ is provocative, false and especially outrageous on this difficult morning. Shooting, lying and covering up — we already know this mechanism too well.”
“Journalist Sheerin Abu Akleh was shot dead by the army this morning in Jenin in front of other journalists, MK Ayman Odeh (Joint List) wrote on Twitter. “Sheerin was a diligent and esteemed journalist who bravely reported on the crimes of the occupation and this morning became their victim. R.I.P.,” he wrote.
The Jerusalem Journalist’s Association also expressed its “deep sorrow for the killing of Al-Jazira’s correspondent Shirin Abu Akleh and the wounding of other journalists during an exchange of fire between armed Palestinians and a force of the IDF in Jenin last night.
“The Association calls upon the IDF to conduct a thorough investigation into the regretful incident and calls upon the Palestinian Authority to accept the Israeli offer to conduct a joint investigation in order to reach the truth about the circumstances of the incident.
“Regardless of the circumstances of this specific incident, the association calls on the IDF to raise the awareness of soldiers in the field to their duty to refrain, as much as it is possible, from targeting and harming journalists and photojournalists carrying Press insignia even in the difficult situation of a combat.”
The US Palestinian Affairs Unit sent its condolences as well: “Our deepest condolences on the death of Al Jazeera journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, who was well-known to us and all Palestinians. We encourage a thorough investigation into her death and the injury of fellow journalist, Ali Samoudi.”
Anna Ahronheim contributed to this report.
Content retrieved from: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-706395.