MIFTAH Mourns Veteran Palestinian Journalist And Former Employee Shireen Abu Aqleh
On behalf of the Board of Directors and its chairperson Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, the General Assembly and all staff, The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy – MIFTAH mourns with deep sorrow the killing of veteran Palestinian journalist and former MIFTAH employee Shireen Abu Aqleh. We convey our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and Palestine as a whole.
Shireen was killed by Israeli occupation forces while performing her duties in the Jenin refugee camp during an Israeli military raid. She was deliberately targeted and shot in the head despite clearly wearing a ‘PRESS’ vest.
When MIFTAH was established in 1998, Shireen worked with us at the media department. For long years, Shireen was a truthful voice narrating and covering events in Palestine. Generations grew up watching and listening to Shireen as she courageously reported Israeli crimes and human rights violations from the front lines. She was the eyes and ears for millions in Palestine and abroad.
The targeting of journalists is a blatant war crime. Sadly, Shireen is not the first Palestinian journalist to be killed by Israeli occupation forces. Since 1972, 83 Palestinian journalists have been killed. This is a longtime Israeli policy aimed at concealing its crimes and hiding the truth and reality of its brutal occupation. We hold Israel, the occupying power, fully responsible for her killing and we call for urgent intervention from the international community to ensure real accountability for this deliberate war crime.