“All the information we have gathered — including from the Israeli army and the Palestinian attorney general — supports the fact that the shots that killed Ms. Abu Akleh and injured her colleague Ali Sammoudi came from Israeli security forces and not from armed Palestinians as initially claimed by the Israeli authorities,” Ravina Shamdasani told a regular UN press briefing in Geneva.
According to the OHCHR spokesperson, these shots did not come from “indiscriminate fire from armed Palestinians, as the Israeli authorities had initially claimed”.
Deeply disturbing that Israel has not opened a judicial inquiry
“We found no information suggesting that there was any activity by armed Palestinians near the journalists,” added Shamdasani, regretting the fact that Tel Aviv “has not opened a judicial investigation”. . For the services of the High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet, the journalists had chosen an approach “making them visible to the Israeli forces deployed in the street”.
The Al-Jazeera TV reporter was wearing a bulletproof jacket with the word “press” written on it and a protective helmet when she was hit by a bullet just below the cut of her helmet. She was on the outskirts of the Jenin refugee camp where Israeli forces were carrying out a raid.
Journalists said they had chosen a side street to approach to avoid the location of the armed Palestinians inside the camp and were moving slowly to make their presence visible to Israeli forces deployed in the street. “Our findings (on these events of May 11, 2022) indicate that no warnings were issued, and no shootings were taking place at this time and place,” Shamdasani said.
It was then that several shots from Israeli forces targeted them, she said. “A single bullet wounded Ali Sammoudi in the shoulder, another single bullet hit Shireen Abu Akleh in the head and killed her instantly,” detailed the OHCHR spokesperson.
Since the start of the year, Israeli security forces have killed 58 Palestinians in the West Bank
However, according to the UN, international human rights law requires a prompt, thorough, transparent, independent and impartial investigation into any use of force resulting in death or serious injury. “Perpetrators must be held accountable,” argued Ms. Shamdasani.
“In accordance with our global human rights monitoring methodology, our Office inspected photo, video and audio material, visited locations, consulted with experts, reviewed official communications and interviewed witnesses,” pointed out the OHCHR spokesperson.
more than six weeks after the murder of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and the wounding of her colleague Ali Sammoudi in Jenin on May 11, 2022, it is ‘deeply disturbing’ that Israeli authorities have failed to conduct a criminal investigation.
“The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, continues to urge the Israeli authorities to open a criminal investigation into the murder of Ms. Abu Akleh and all other killings and serious injuries committed by Israeli forces in the West Bank and as part of law enforcement operations in Gaza”.
According to the services of High Commissioner Bachelet, since the beginning of 2022, Israeli security forces have killed 58 Palestinians in the West Bank, including 13 children.
English translation by PAJU
