Says big powers not paying attention to Middle East, like they did in Ukraine
Emmanuel Ukudolo l Wednesday, May 11, 2022
JENIN, West Bank – Arab Representatives at the United Nations have rejected offer by Israel to investigate assassination of Al Jazeera journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh in Jenin, the occupied West Bank.
Shireen Abu Akleh, a citizen of Palestine and the United States was shot allegedly by an Israeli sniper from under a tree where she and other colleagues were taking shelter to film routine Israeli raid in the area.
Shireen Abu Akleh was wearing a complete journalists war armour, a vest and armour helmet, clearly marked PRESS when she was gunned down in the face. Ali Al Samoud, who was filming with Shireen was also hit by bullet on the back and he is currently out of danger in the hospital.
He said there was no any attack by Palestinians on Israel, when the attack took place, contrary to a video uploaded by Israeli army that she was shot in shot out with Palestinian fighters.
From the footage watched on Al Jazeera, Shireen Abu Akleh was seen lying faced down with the amour helmet still on her head, with her press vest. The vicinity was not rowdy, even as a colleague equally well dressed in complete Press Amour Vest, calling out for help.
Speaking at the United Nations, representatives of Arabs, Palestinian Ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour and Arab League Ambassador to the UN, Maged AbdelFattah rejected Israeli offer, stressing that a criminal cannot investigate criminality and that Israel remains the criminal in the case of Shireen Abu Akleh.
Riyad Mansour acknowledged that there has been a global condemnation for the assassination of the journalist but that those condemnations should be brought into action in getting at those who assassinated the journalist.
He said there will be a state burial tomorrow in the compound of the Palestinian President.
“We reject the claims of Israel that they can do a credible investigation. “They are the criminals and criminals cannot do investigation. We want it done independently so that we can get at those who committed this crime”, he said.
He added that the demand now is for the security council to condemn this assassination of the journalist. He explained that forces responsible for the assassination must face the consequence of their actions.
“From where she was assassinated, the distance is very far, so the story of the Israeli does not hold water. We don’t accept the decision to have investigation with the criminals in this case”, he said and called on friends of Palestine in the Security Council to react on the basis of statement issued by Arab Representatives.
“We expect investigation to take place and it has to be internationally credible and we will see what the end process will be but we will not accept investigation of Israel and we will not do investigation with them”, he said and urged the security council to speak with one voice on the crime against the Al Jazeera journalists Shireen.
In his reaction, Maged Abdelfattah, Arab League Ambassador to the United Nations described the attack as an attempt to suppress the freedom of the press, and freedom of opinion.
“She was in full gear, a vest and helmet. It is an attack on freedom of the press and freedom of opinion”, he said, adding that he expects action to be taken globally. He said that representatives of Arabs are consulting with President of the UN Security Council and the Secretary General.
“We fully support the position of the Palestinian Authority on resumption of the peace process as long as the big powers are not paying enough attention to the situation in the Middle East, but paying attention to the situation in Ukraine and in other places”, he said.
