On Thursday, Ali Abunimah appeared on Al Jazeera English to talk about the killing of the network’s iconic correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh. Despite its quickly debunked attempts to cast blame elsewhere, the evidence overwhelmingly points to Israel being responsible. Yet Israel does not bear responsibility alone. As I told Al Jazeera, the governments now shedding crocodile tears for Abu Akleh – especially the United States, European Union countries, the United Kingdom and Canada – also have her blood on their hands.
By Ali Abunimah
Published on Electronic Intifada, May 13, 2022
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On Thursday, I appeared on Al Jazeera English to talk about the killing of the network’s iconic correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh.
Despite its quickly debunked attempts to cast blame elsewhere, the evidence overwhelmingly points to Israel being responsible.
Yet Israel does not bear responsibility alone. As I told Al Jazeera, the governments now shedding crocodile tears for Abu Akleh – especially the United States, European Union countries, the United Kingdom and Canada – also have her blood on their hands.
While they are calling for an investigation, this is a ruse aimed ultimately at guaranteeing continued Israeli impunity. They know very well that Israeli attacks on the media are nothing new.
A year ago, Israel directly attacked journalists and media organizations in Gaza. Those crimes are now barely even remembered.
And in April, the International Criminal Court received a complaint alleging war crimes against journalists by Israeli occupation forces.
It cites the “systematic targeting” of four Palestinian media workers who were “killed or maimed by Israeli snipers while covering demonstrations in Gaza,” according to the International Federation of Journalists.
On Wednesday, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price claimed that “the Israelis have the wherewithal and the capabilities to conduct a thorough, comprehensive investigation.”
One only has to imagine the State Department asserting that Russia is capable of a “comprehensive investigation” of alleged war crimes in Ukraine to understand how thoroughly uninterested the US is in any real accountability for Abu Akleh’s killing.
The goal is to assuage public anger with empty calls for an investigation, until this latest atrocity fades from the news cycle.
