Can the US authorities maintain Israel accountable for the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh?
Final Could, Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by Israeli forces. Since then, her household has pushed the US authorities for one factor: an impartial investigation into her killing that results in actual accountability. The Take seems to be into the push for justice within the US and why it has been so tough to realize.
On this episode:
- Lina Abu Akleh (@LinaAbuAkleh), niece of Shireen Abu Akleh
- Katherine Gallagher (@katherga1), freelance journalist
- Stated Arikat (@SMArikat), journalist
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@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Fb
Full episode transcript:
This transcript was created utilizing AI. It has been reviewed by people, nevertheless it would possibly comprise errors. Please tell us when you've got any corrections or questions, our e-mail is TheTake@aljazeera.web.
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]
Narration: For many years, Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was an icon on tv screens throughout the Center East. And when she was killed by Israeli forces on Could 11, her loss was felt deeply.
Narration: Particularly amongst her fellow Palestinians. However for Lina Abu Akleh, Shireen’s niece, the grief is much extra intimate.
Lina Abu Akleh: I believe essentially the most factor that I miss is making ready our, um, breakfasts collectively on weekends. We had our like designated stations. She can be making ready, uh, the eggs and the tea whereas I might arrange the desk. And that was really the final Sunday we spent collectively, was making ready breakfast as a household.
Narration: Since Shireen’s killing, Lina’s needed to tackle a task no relative ever needs to fill.
Lina Abu Akleh: For the previous over 100 days now, I’ve been calling for justice and accountability for the homicide of my one and solely aunt, Shireen Abu Akleh.
Narration: In our final episode, we examined the circumstances round Shireen’s killing, and Israel’s investigation of it. At the moment, a have a look at the push for accountability in the US.
I’m Halla Mohieddeen and that is The Take.
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Narration: Should you’ve been following Shireen’s case, you’ve in all probability heard Lina Abu Akleh speak about her aunt.
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Lina Abu Akleh: She was like a mom to me, like my second mom, positively like my oldest sister, finest good friend. She was every part.
Halla Mohieddeen: Are you able to inform us what you have been doing if you first discovered that one thing had occurred to your aunt?
Lina Abu Akleh: I used to be really asleep. It was round, um, 6:45, nearer to seven, after I acquired a telephone name from my father who was in Somalia, the place he works with the UN. He advised me that “that you must examine in your aunt, she’s been injured”. And whereas I used to be on the telephone with him, a good friend of mine additionally texted me “Lina, we heard your aunt has been shot. Is that true? Or is that this pretend information?”
Narration: Footage began showing on social media, although Lina had no concept what was occurring. She bought in contact with Shireen’s colleagues, who weren’t positive tips on how to inform her what had occurred. Finally, they broke the information to her – after which, to the remainder of the world.
Newsreel: Let me carry you some breaking information. An Al Jazeera correspondent has been shot by Israeli forces. We perceive that she’s been killed
Lina Abu Akleh: I bear in mind it was simply, we have been all simply screaming in the home as a result of it was, it was a second of disbelief. It was in that second that I realised that, for the primary time ever, Shireen is the breaking information and never the one breaking the information. So that's one thing that I by no means ever imagined.
Halla Mohieddeen: I can’t think about what number of interviews you’ve accomplished since Shireen was killed. How are you?
Lina Abu Akleh: I’m, I’m okay. It’s positively been a tricky few months now. Powerful is even an understatement. It, it’s not simple, grief isn’t simple. It positively is available in waves. It’s not the simplest factor, however we’re making an attempt.
Halla Mohieddeen: I can think about. And you actually haven’t had any closure but at this level, have you ever?
Lina Abu Akleh: No, there hasn’t been any closure. There hasn’t been any justice. It’s simply been very irritating to get up each day and realizing that your aunt is not with you. That you simply misplaced your finest good friend and nobody has been held accountable for her killing.
Narration: Shireen’s fame as a journalist has introduced a whole lot of consideration to her case. However there’s one other a part of her id that’s opened up an avenue for accountability. And that’s her American citizenship.
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Narration: So the Abu Akleh household has a key demand: a US-led investigation into Shireen’s killing. Within the aftermath of her demise, Biden administration officers have additionally talked concerning the significance of an investigation. Right here’s Antony Blinken, secretary of state:
Antony Blinken: We’re on the lookout for an impartial credible investigation.
Narration: The White Home deputy press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre:
Karine Jean-Pierre: We name for an intensive investigation to find out the circumstances of her demise.
Narration: And Ned Value, spokesman for the US Division of State:
Ned Value: We name for a direct and thorough investigation and full accountability.
Narration: However who would do this investigation, and what it will seem like hasn’t been settled.
Lina Abu Akleh: It’s simply been merely statements at this level, and that is what we're fed up from, particularly us as a household. We appreciated all their statements, sympathies and condolences, however that is the time the place we wish to see significant motion.
Narration: These feedback you heard from members of the Biden administration got here out in Could and June. After which on July 4, the State Division launched a press release. The US safety coordinator, a navy basic primarily based in Jerusalem, did a forensic evaluation and ballistic evaluation. Additionally they summarised the findings from the Israeli navy and the Palestinian authority investigations. Based mostly on that, the State Division stated that gunfire from the Israeli navy was seemingly answerable for Shireen’s demise. They usually additionally stated they discovered no cause to imagine her killing was intentional.
Lina Abu Akleh: When the US State Division launched that assertion that was simply damaging to the reality. We have been shocked.
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Narration: 9 days later, US President Biden left on a tour of the Center East. His first cease: Israel and Palestine.
Newsreel: As President Biden prepares to go to Israel and the occupied West Financial institution. The US is going through accusations it’s whitewashing the killing of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
Joe Biden: The connection between the Israeli folks and the American folks is bone deep.
Halla Mohieddeen: What’s the outreach been like from the administration? Did they get in contact with you in any respect forward of the journey? Was there any effort made to try to meet with you guys?
Lina Abu Akleh: We requested it so many instances we continued to inform them we want to meet the president however there wasn’t even sufficient coordination from their finish. We have been those who have been reaching out, to attempt to perceive what their subsequent steps are and making an attempt to ask them to satisfy with the president.
Halla Mohieddeen: And the way does that make you're feeling?
Lina Abu Akleh: It looks like we've been uncared for. The president was like 10 minutes away from our household’s home, from Shireen’s home, from the place Shireen was born and raised. And he nonetheless didn't make any effort or any time to satisfy with our household. That’s why, as a household, we stated, we should go to DC and take issues into our personal fingers.
Narration: In order that’s what occurred. A few weeks after Biden’s journey, Lina and her household made one in all their very own. They flew to Washington, DC to satisfy with the US secretary of state.
Lina Abu Akleh: We met with Secretary Antony Blinken once we have been in DC a number of weeks in the past with my household. We continued to emphasize on our demand for a US led investigation. We expressed our disappointment and outrage over that assertion that they launched. This was not an investigation it was merely a press release of some paragraphs summarizing the Israeli investigation, which we haven’t seen and the PA investigative report that was printed.
Narration: And it’s not simply the sourcing the Abu Akleh household took subject with, however the conclusions.
Lina Abu Akleh: So it was very irritating that they stated that they didn’t have anybody certified to find out intent, however they needed to go that further mile and write it on the assertion that it was not intentional. Shireen’s killing was not intentional.
Narration: So what might the US authorities be doing as a substitute? We requested a lawyer with a deep data of instances like Shireen’s.
Katherine Gallagher: I’m Katherine Gallagher. I’m a senior workers legal professional on the Heart for Constitutional Rights in New York.
Narration: Katherine has labored with households of Americans killed by Israel earlier than, that features the households of Rachel Corrie.
Newsreel: she was killed within the Garza strip by an Israeli military bulldozer. In 2003, Corrie was making an attempt to impede the demolition of a Palestinian residence.
Narration: And Furkan Dogan who was aboard a flotilla meant to interrupt the Israeli blockade of Gaza again in 2010.
Newsreel: Commanders decrease themselves from the helicopters and onto the Mavi Marmara. That’s the lead ship in a flotilla of six vessels, that are carrying help for the Palestinian territory.
Narration: Now, Katherine’s additionally consulting the Abu Akleh household. So we requested her what recourse they may have.
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Narration: Usually, if a citizen is killed overseas, the US would possibly present help to the household, however go away the investigation within the fingers of the nation the place the crime occurred. That doesn’t make sense right here, Katherine says.
Katherine Gallagher: Shireen was killed by a overseas navy. And so on this case, it ought to be that the US is concerned. It might be unusual to depart the investigation of a US citizen, killed by a overseas navy, to that very authorities.
Narration: So given that time, there are a number of choices the US authorities has to research by itself.
Katherine Gallagher: The US has been a signatory to the Geneva conventions for many years and the Geneva conventions, amongst different issues prohibit the focusing on and the killing of civilians, and positively journalists are among the many most protected.
Narration: Again in 1996, the US codified its obligations underneath the Geneva Conventions, underneath one thing known as the Battle Crimes Statute.
Katherine Gallagher: That Battle Crimes Statute really has not been utilized in any instances so far. However there's a specialised unit that has been arrange and expanded inside the Division of Justice known as the Human Rights and Particular Prosecution’s Bureau. And that workplace we all know, is wanting into potential struggle crimes, dedicated within the context of the Ukraine armed battle. And we all know that as a result of legal professional basic Merrick Garland went to Ukraine in June.
Merrick Garland: The US is sending an unmistakable message. There is no such thing as a place to cover. We'll, we and our companions will pursue each avenue accessible to make it possible for those that are answerable for these atrocities are held accountable.
Narration: And on that journey, Garland introduced one thing new: a workforce targeted particularly on struggle crimes accountability.
Katherine Gallagher: So, in the event that they’re investigating, as they need to, the killing and wounding of US journalists in Ukraine, they need to even be investigating the killing of a US journalist that the US has acknowledged has been killed by a overseas authorities, Israel.
Narration: Now, we requested the Division of Justice about this. Are they investigating Shireen’s killing? Will this struggle crimes bureau be targeted solely on Ukraine? They declined to remark. However even when the Division of Justice doesn't proceed with a felony investigation, different businesses might become involved.
Katherine Gallagher: The State Division may very well be gathering data and making suggestions and responses. Within the case of, Jamal Khashoggi, one other journalist who was killed. We noticed the State Division act on public data and investigations carried out by the CIA and different government businesses to resolve to revoke visas to Saudi Arabian residents. We noticed the Treasury Division reply within the Khashoggi case by issuing sanctions in opposition to sure Saudi officers.
Narration: We haven’t seen any motion like that taken but both.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Narration: Katherine did point out one thing she wouldn’t prefer to see from the US. And that’s interference with different inquiries into Shireen’s demise – like an investigation from the Worldwide Legal Court docket.
Katherine Gallagher: The Worldwide Legal Court docket has an ongoing investigation into struggle crimes, crimes in opposition to humanity, and probably genocide dedicated on the territory of Palestine. And Shireen’s killing falls inside the scope of what may very well be investigated on the ICC
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Narration: Again in 2021, when the ICC launched this investigation, the US stated it was firmly against the courtroom’s determination. That opposition was controversial; right here’s an alternate between Related Press journalist Matt Lee and State Division spokesperson Ned Value on the time.
Matt Lee: The place ought to the Palestinians go to get accountability for what they declare to be, uh, issues, to Israeli courts? The place, the place do they go?
Ned Value: Matt? Look, we, uh, after all, um, the US is all the time going to face up for uh human rights. Uh, we’re all the time going to face up.
Matt Lee: The place do they go? The place do they go? The place? The place?
Ned Value: Uh Matt? That's the reason I believe you, that's the reason you've gotten heard. Proceed to endorse and to name for a two-state resolution to this lengthy operating battle.
Matt Lee: Ought to they go to the Israeli courts? The place do they go?
Ned Value: A two-state resolution, as a result of it protects Israel’s id as a Jewish and democratic state, but in addition, uh, as a result of it should give the Palestinians a viable state of their very own, the place they go their authentic, uh,
Matt Lee: The place do they go? The place do they go? The place do they go? The place do they go?
Ned Value: –aspirations for dignity and self-determination.
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Narration: However it doesn't matter what the US authorities does or doesn’t do, Shireen’s household has another choice. They'll go ahead with a civil courtroom case.
Katherine Gallagher: But it surely shouldn't be that it’s as much as the Abu Akleh household via a civil motion to hold out its personal impartial investigation and get solutions about who killed Shireen. And it shouldn’t be on their shoulders, to individually maintain the Israeli authorities answerable for her killing that obligation ought to be born by the US, in mild of the truth that Shireen is a US citizen, in addition to the truth that the US has continued to supply, such vital financial navy, diplomatic, political help to Israel. The US owes it to its residents, and to the Abu Akleh household, to carry Israel accountable.
Narration: And loads of US lawmakers agree with Katherine. Extra on that after a fast break.
Newsreel: Good afternoon, everybody. Thanks very a lot for coming right here right now and being with the Abu Akleh household.
Narration: Again in July, when the Abu Akleh household spoke with Secretary Blinken, in addition they went to the US Capitol. They usually held a press convention, the place they have been joined by a number of US lawmakers who additionally need solutions about Shireen’s killing. Right here’s Lina once more.
Lina Abu Akleh: Realizing that we aren't alone on this journey, uh, provides us a little bit of hope realizing that we've the help of over 80 members of Congress, realizing that we've all of the allies on the Hill, provides us that sense of consolation that there is perhaps, some type of a clear led investigation.
Narration: Dozens of lawmakers have pushed for extra US involvement – and pushed again in opposition to what the US has accomplished to date.
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Narration: For instance, on July 12, a bunch of senators despatched a letter to the State Division about their investigation, with an inventory of questions on their findings. They requested for a response inside two weeks. By August 4, they hadn’t acquired one. In order that day, at a listening to, Senator Chris Van Hollen questioned a State Division official whether or not they’d seen the letter.
Chris Van Hollen: Have you ever seen that one?
Barbara Leaf: I've not.
Chris Van Hollen: I, I urge you to have a look at that. I imply, that is, for this reason a whole lot of us are involved.
Narration: Once more, that was August 4 – a month in the past.
Chris Van Hollen: We requested for a response by final week. Okay. Um, so in case you might get again to us possibly later right now to inform us once we can anticipate a response on, on that. And we requested for…
Narration: Senator Van Hollen’s workplace has been pushing for solutions to their questions from the State Division; as of the time we publish this, they haven’t acquired them.
Chris Van Hollen: So, I simply, there are a selection of us that aren't gonna permit this to be swept underneath the rug.
Narration: We submitted the identical questions and haven’t gotten any data both. The State Division solely advised us they gained’t touch upon their conversations with Congress. Van Hollen and a few of his colleagues have additionally launched a provision that may require the State Division to provide a report for Congress into quote – the taking pictures demise of Shireen. That would influence the $3.8 billion in navy help Israel receives from the US every year. However there’s nonetheless fairly a bit to be accomplished earlier than it’s handed – if it will get handed in any respect.
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Narration: For journalists who cowl the State Division, being roadblocked isn’t one thing new. We talked to one in all them.
Stated Arikat: My title’s Stated Arikat. I'm a Palestinian journalist right here in Washington, DC. I've been protecting the State Division for over 20, some odd years, possibly 25 years or so.
Halla Mohieddeen: Let’s simply begin with an interplay that you simply had with the US State Division spokesman Ned Value, uh, again on Could eleventh. That was the day that Shireen was killed.
Stated Arikat: I simply wish to ask you, do you belief Israel investigating itself? I imply, I've requested this query over the previous 20 years, so many instances.
Halla Mohieddeen: Now you’ve talked about that you've got requested the US authorities the identical query for many years. What kind of responses have you ever bought over time?
Stated Arikat: Usual worn out response.
Ned Value: The Israelis have the wherewithal and the capabilities to conduct an intensive complete investigation
Stated Arikat: In fact they do, however they by no means do. I imply, you realize, saying that they've the aptitude to do one thing. And doing it really in a good and free method are solely two various things. It’s very tough for anybody that commits against the law to research themselves. And that’s why you all the time want a 3rd social gathering.
Halla Mohieddeen: In one of many interactions that you simply had, you talked about if you have been talking to Ned Value, that Shireen had been in that briefing room with you.
Stated Arikat: She was with us on this room!
Ned Value: And you will need to us. Keep in mind that you will need to us, that her legacy uh, be honored, be protected with accountability for many who senselessly uh, took her life.
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Stated Arikat: It is a journalist, she’s a, a Palestinian American journalist, you realize, she could be very credible. Very outstanding. She’s reported from Washington. She got here with us to the briefing room and we sat subsequent. I imply, all this stuff. If somebody like that is simply completely dismissed out of hand due to their Palestinianness, then one would by no means anticipate that they really would pursue, one other Palestinian journalist, you realize, lower than a month later, one other feminine Palestinian journalist was shot and killed. No person talked about that.
Narration: Stated’s speaking about Ghufran Warasneh, who was headed to work when she was killed by Israeli forces. Witnesses advised Al Jazeera that she was within the first week of her new job.
Stated Arikat: My instance actually was used to say that that is somebody, one in all us on this room, any one in all us on this room may very well be focused like Shireen was. And that was the purpose that I needed to make.
Halla Mohieddeen: Yeah, no, I perceive that as a result of for me, I didn’t know her personally. And after I heard the information about Shireen, I used to be actually shocked, And the factor that upset me, I believe essentially the most was the, the response or reasonably the shortage of response, trigger I used to be considering that may very well be any of us.
Stated Arikat: Sure, completely. and have a look at, you realize, what, definitely the US raises the difficulty when a journalist is focused in a spot like Afghanistan or Ukraine or different locations. However not in Palestine. I imply, these folks, they conduct their job, you realize. The younger lady that was shot in Hebron, she was simply going to her job at a radio station. She didn't have the prominence that Shireen did. It was not in an space the place an engagement was happening and so forth, however that’s, that’s the best way it's. I imply, There’s some upward of 62 Palestinian journalists which were killed since 1967. I imply, the quantity is staggering.
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Halla Mohieddeen: Now you’ve needed to ask the State Departments, for accountability, in relation to your personal household, I’m, I’m referring to your cousin, Ahmed Erekat. The Israeli forces killed him at a checkpoint in, in June of 2020. How does that influence you?
Stated Arikat: It does influence me an ideal deal. A younger cousin of mine, you realize, from my household, I imply, I, I talked to his mother or his mother and father or his, his siblings and so forth. They usually assume that I might in all probability elevate the difficulty and have an effect and get a solution instantly. However the truth is, it’s very irritating. It by no means will get anyplace.
Narration: Right here’s Stated, mentioning his cousin at a press briefing again in 2021.
Stated Arikat: Final June, as an example, you realize, a younger cousin of mine, was shot lifeless in chilly blood. Ahmed Erekat on June twenty second, his physique remains to be there. These Israelis haven't returned it again this to, to his household, simply to torment them.
Narration: It’s half of a bigger query concerning the Biden administration’s method to Palestinian rights. And right here’s how Ned Value responds.
Ned Value: Um, we as an administration, uh, do certainly stay up for deepening our engagement, uh, with the Palestinian folks, uh, and the Palestinian management, um…..
Halla Mohieddeen: You’re a Palestinian American placing these inquiries to the State Division and getting the identical stonewalled solutions time and time once more. I imply, it have to be soul destroying, going into the workplace each day.
Stated Arikat: It's, it truly is. And, you realize, and generally I’m simply too outdated for this, you realize, however, uh, the truth is it's, you realize, it’s a, it’s a worthy trigger for one factor, it’s a difficulty that have to be raised. And I really feel I've an obligation to lift it. However you're proper. It is extremely irritating, very irritating.
Narration: For Lina, one in all her biggest hopes is to place an finish to the frustration that households like hers and Stated’s are taking over.
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Lina Abu Akleh: We simply don’t need some other household to must take care of what ours has, which is why there must be accountability. There must be justice. And generally I really feel like I’m talking right into a, into like an empty room and no person’s listening however I’m not discouraged. I'll proceed combating as a result of once more, that is what Shireen would’ve accomplished. Persevering with to talk reality to energy and simply persevering with to amplify the voices of the Palestinians. And that’s what Shireen used to all the time do. And if which means honoring her and her distinctive legacy, then I'll proceed doing that till justice prevails, regardless of how lengthy that may take us.
Narration: And that’s The Take. This episode was produced by Negin Owliaei and Amy Walters with Ruby Zaman, Chloe Okay. Li, Alexandra Locke, and me, Halla Mohieddeen. Alex Roldan is our sound designer. Aya Elmileik and Adam Abou-Gad are our engagement producers. And Ney Alvarez is our Head of Audio.
We additionally wish to ship a particular thanks out to Rania Zabana who we couldn’t have accomplished this collection with out. She’s nonetheless again on the streets of the occupied West Financial institution doing her job as a journalist, each day. We’ll be again.
Episode credit:
Host: Halla Mohieddeen
This episode was produced by Negin Owliaei and Amy Walters with Ruby Zaman, Chloe Okay Li, and Alexandra Locke. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our engagement producers are Aya Elmileik and Adam Abou-Gad. Ney Alvarez is our head of audio.
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