Israel has said that a CNN report claiming that Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh of al-Jazeera, who died in Jenin on May 11th, was shot dead in a “targeted attack” by Israeli soldiers is unfounded. The statement to military radio was made on Wednesday by Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister, Idan Roll.
CNN first published a detailed report based on videos obtained by the network last night, corroborated by testimony from eyewitnesses, an audio forensic analyst and an explosive weapons expert, suggesting that Abu Akleh “was shot dead in a targeted attack by Israeli forces,” said the network. Recordings of the sound of shots suggests they weren’t fired randomly but with precision, the report stated. CNN also opposed the Israeli version of events according to which Abu Akleh was caught in the crossfire between Palestinian militants and Israeli soldiers: CNN quoted an eyewitness as saying that there was no active combat when the reporter was killed and that there were no Palestinian militants close by, according to the witness.
Roll said CNN’s investigation “has no contact with reality.” “Our forces operate in Jenin solely to prevent terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians,” and not to intimidate members of the press, said the official. Roll added that CNN’s sources “are not reliable.” “We have proposed to the Palestinian National Authority to conduct together a forensic examination, but they refused. What are they trying to hide?”. On Tuesday, an Israeli military spokesperson recalled that he has asked, so far in vain, to be allowed to examine the bullet extracted from the reporter’s body. In its absence, he concluded, it is impossible to establish with certainty who shot at her.
