a year after the death of an Al-Jazeera journalist, the emotion remains intact in Ramallah

“This is Shirin’s office.” Walid al-Omari, director of Al-Jazeera Palestine leads us into a small room frozen in time. “Every morning I find colleagues of Shireen Abu Akleh in tears who come here to light the candles.” On May 11, 2022, journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by sniper fire in Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank while she was wearing her helmet and a bulletproof vest marked “press”.

>> West Bank: what we know about the death of an Al-Jazeera journalist during an Israeli army operation

The office is overflowing with photos and wreaths. A keffiyeh and a Palestinian flag were laid down. “This office will be moved to the Shireen Abu Akleh Media Museum. It will also be an interactive center for people, especially students and children, to learn how to become a good, professional journalist, without being influenced by either side but influenced only by the truth.”

20 journalists killed, no prosecution

The Center for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ) publishes a damning report for the Israeli army. “Over the past 22 years, 20 journalists have been killed, notes Orly Halpern, an Israeli-American journalist behind this report. No one has ever been brought to justice, no one has been held responsible for the death of one of these journalists. In many cases we have evidence, videos, testimonials. Most of the time, it’s not about whether Israel killed journalists or not, but whether it was intentional and whether Israel is guilty.”

The day before her death, Shireen Abu Akleh had filled out a form to request a few days off. Its leader signed it with the mention “eternal rest”.

After blaming the Palestinians, Israel half-heartedly admitted to a possible accidental firing by the Israeli army but did not press charges for the death of the popular Palestinian-American Al-Jazeera reporter. Several independent investigations undoubtedly attest to an Israeli fire.

>> Death of Shireen Abu Akleh: “Justice will be served when the Israeli soldier who shot her is incarcerated”, says her niece

Contacted by franceinfo, the Israeli army recalls the difficulties it encounters in operations in the fight against terrorism, and underlines the importance of protecting the freedom of the press.