Renewed Calls for Justice: Remembering Shireen Abu Akleh’s Legacy

On the first anniversary of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh’s murder by an Israeli gunman, her family, friends, and coworkers demanded justice. On 11 May 2022, an Israeli soldier shot and killed Al Jazeera reporter Abu Akleh while covering an IDF assault on a refugee camp in Jenin, West Bank. Despite the “high possibility” that a soldier killed her, the IDF claims the incident was inadvertent and that further investigation is unneeded.

Abu Akleh’s narrative has inspired a slow international justice movement. A Ramallah boulevard, a media museum, and academic prizes and scholarships bear her name. However, her murder and the murders of other Palestinian journalists in recent years have gone unpunished.

According to a new CPJ report, 20 journalists, 18 of whom were Palestinian, have been slain in Israel since 2001. These fatalities were not punished by Israeli soldiers. According to the research, Israeli authorities often invalidate evidence and witness testimony, and military investigations can take months or years. Families of Palestinian journalists have few legal options in Israel.

Since Abu Akleh’s murder, Israeli-Palestinian tensions and violence have risen. After 116 Palestinians and 19 Israelis and tourists were killed in 2023, full-scale violence is expected. Media reports say half of this year’s Palestinian deaths are civilians, although IDF forces seldom face punishment for attacking Palestinians or their property.

Abu Akleh’s legacy has motivated many young women and men to work in similar sectors despite failures. In November, Congress demanded an FBI inquiry into her abduction, and the ICC in The Hague has jurisdiction over her case. Israel refuses to assist with the investigation.