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No justice for Shireen Abu Akleh

A year after the Al Jazeera reporter was killed by an Israeli soldier, too many questions remain unanswered.

No Justice for Shireen Abu Akleh
By Danylo Hawaleshka
Published On 10 May 2023

History Illustrated is a weekly series of insightful perspectives that puts news events and current affairs into historical context using graphics generated with artificial intelligence.

No Justice for Shireen Abu Akleh
Shireen Abu Akleh was a Palestinian American journalist doing her job for Al Jazeera in the occupied West Bank when she was shot dead by an Israeli soldier on May 11, 2022.
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No Justice for Shireen Abu Akleh
At first, the Israeli government tried to blame non-existent Palestinian shooters for her death.
No Justice for Shireen Abu Akleh
Eventually, though, the Israeli army admitted there was a “high possibility” a soldier had shot her, but then refused to prosecute.
No Justice for Shireen Abu Akleh
The US state department seemed happy to leave it at that, but members of Congress kept pushing for an independent investigation.
No Justice for Shireen Abu Akleh
Then news broke that the FBI would conduct one.
No Justice for Shireen Abu Akleh
Benny Gantz, the Israeli defence minister at the time, told the US to mind its own business.
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No Justice for Shireen Abu Akleh
But Shireen’s family was pleased with the decision to investigate.
No Justice for Shireen Abu Akleh
Since then Al Jazeera has also asked the International Criminal Court to find out what happened.
No Justice for Shireen Abu Akleh
Shireen has been dead for a year, with no justice served. So it’s worth asking: Would it have been any different had this American citizen not been an Arab, a Palestinian or a reporter for Al Jazeera?