ADC Statement On The Assassination Of Shireen Abu Akleh

Washington, D.C. | www.adc.org | May 11, 2022 - Early this morning in Jenin, Occupied Palestine, revered Palestinian voice Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian American journalist for Al Jazeera, was assassinated by Israeli Occupation Forces snipers. Her brutal murder was caught on video by other journalists accompanying her as they covered Israeli forces attacking Jenin. This is a war crime by international law, and just another instance of Israel using American tax dollars to further censor and oppress Palestinian voices.

Shireen was an iconic voice that covered the occupation for over 20 years. Her name resonates in every Palestinian home, globally. Those in the diaspora looked to her for news of our homeland. An inspiration for women looking to become journalists themselves, she paved the way for so many to follow in her footsteps, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to outshine the occupation which killed her.

On World Kuffiyah Day, we remember Shireen and the many other Palestinian journalists that put their lives on the line to combat the censorship western media routinely propagates when covering the occupation. We remember the millions of Palestinians living under Israeli apartheid, suffering from forced evictions, ethnic cleansing, and lack of basic human rights.

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) calls on the President Biden, Secretary Blinken, and the entirety of the Biden Administration for a full, independent, and international investigation into the assassination of Shireen. Complete transparency and full accountability for this war crime against an American citizen is necessary. Additionally, as Americans we call on the U.S. Government to stop all military aid to Israel, who uses our tax dollars to perpetrate these atrocities. Now is the time to put pressure on the Israeli government and stand up for Palestinian human rights.

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