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Two years since the assassination of Shireen Abu Akleh by Israeli forces; Still no justice |

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Two years ago, Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot dead by Israeli forces while reporting in the occupied West Bank on May 11, 2022. Israeli soldiers not only targeted Shireen, executed her and injured her cameraman and other personnel, but also attacked her funeral. They pushed and beat the mourners and almost pushed the coffin to the ground.

Al Jazeera spoke to Yousef Munayyer, head of the Palestine/Israel program at the Arab Center in Washington DC, about the lack of accountability in her killing, which helped pave the way for rampant Israeli abuses in Gaza.

“What we have seen, Israel killing a record number of journalists in Gaza, is directly linked to the lack of accountability for Shireen,” Munayyer told Al Jazeera.

“If you can kill an American citizen, who was one of the most prominent journalists in the Arab world, on camera and get away scot-free, that sends a very clear message about what is allowed.”

Since Israel’s invasion of Gaza began on October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 145 journalists – many of them targeted while wearing press vests or jackets.

According to the Shireen Abu Akleh Foundation, Shireen Abu Akleh (born April 3, 1971 in Jerusalem) was a Palestinian-American journalist who worked as a correspondent for Al Jazeera for 25 years. Shireen was born and raised in Jerusalem and attended the Rosary Sisters School. She later graduated with a BA in Journalism and Political Science from Yarmouk University in Jordan in 1991. Her passion to continue learning never waned. With technology constantly evolving, Shireen was keen to learn the latest tools she could incorporate into her daily reporting. In 2020, Shireen received a diploma in digital media from Birzeit University.

Shireen worked as Al Jazeera’s Arabic correspondent in the occupied Palestinian territory since 1997. She became one of the most prominent journalists in the region, known for her professionalism and courageous on-the-ground reporting. She inspired generations of young Palestinian and Arab women to pursue careers in journalism. Before joining Al Jazeera, Shireen was one of the founding journalists of Voice of Palestine Radio and worked for Radio Monte Carlo. She also held a part-time position at Birzeit University, where she taught media.

Shireen worked on numerous reports and covered major national and international events. These include, but are not limited to, the Second Intifada, Israel’s wars against Gaza, the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, Israel’s war against Lebanon in 2006, daily military attacks in the occupied West Bank, and more. Shireen’s reporting has spanned major global events such as US elections, Brexit and Arab summits. Most importantly, it humanized the stories of Palestinians and reported on their daily realities under Israeli occupation.

On May 11, 2022, an Israeli sniper killed Shireen while she was reporting on an Israeli military attack on the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank. Since Shireen’s murder, institutions, civil societies and various organizations have launched solidarity campaigns to honor her legacy. Monuments have been erected in her honor, scholarships have been awarded in her name, and countless awards have been given to her posthumously.

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