Slain Journalist's Funeral Held in Ramallah

The funeral of slain Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was held in front of a huge crowd at the presidential palace in Ramallah on Thursday, May 12, with President Mahmoud Abbas speaking.

Abu Akleh, a veteran Al Jazeera reporter, was fatally shot while reporting on an Israeli raid in Jenin the previous day, May 11.

Speaking at the event, Abbas said, “We hold the Israeli occupation authorities completely responsible for her killing, and they cannot, with this crime of theirs, remove the truth.” He added, “This crime must not pass without punishment. We indicate that we have refused, and still refuse, a joint investigation with the Israeli authorities, because it committed the crime.”

Abu Akleh’s burial was due to take place in Jerusalem on Friday.

The Israel Defense Forces said they were investigating the shooting death. IDF Chief of the General Staff LTG Aviv Kohavi said it was “at this point not possible to determine the source of the gunfire which hit [Abu Akleh]”.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennet tweeted that Palestinian gunmen had opened “inaccurate, uncontrolled, and indistinguishable” fire in Jenin.

Speaking from his hospital bed, fellow Al Jazeera journalist Ali Samoudi, who was injured in the shooting, said, “We were not armed, we did not pose a threat to Israeli security, and they did not ask us to leave the area.” He added, “They shot at us when we were right in front of them, as they saw and watched us, and are sure that we are journalists, because we were, five, six, wearing press vests and helmets, and carrying cameras.” Credit: President Mahmoud Abbas via Storyful