The fatal shooting of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the West Bank city of Jenin has left most of the world, especially the journalistic public, speechless. According to the latest information, Abu Akleh was shot in the head with a sniper bullet. In an interview with N1, Omar Shakir, the director of Human Rights Watch for Israel and Palestine, analyzed the situation concerning the death of his colleague Abu Akleh.

We know what happened this morning, to our late colleague, but what is the reaction of your organization to what happened? He obviously has a clear inscription on himself, on his jacket and helmet. And the report of her boss and the hospital is that this was a direct bullet he had in the area of ​​his neck and face. So this was not the same, we would say wrong bullets or something like that. So this was probably a direct blow to her and her colleagues. We know that another colleague was injured. So what is the reaction of Human Rights Watch to all this?

Well, first of all, it is an absolute tragedy, a devastating loss. Her life’s work has indeed been documenting stories of Palestinians living under Israeli apartheid. She woke up early this morning to do her job, to go to the front lines and document the incursion of the Israeli army into the area, an area where we have seen many other Palestinians killed in recent weeks and months. Human Rights Watch is investigating the incident, but eyewitness accounts show that the killing bears signs that it was committed by the Israeli military. It was in the open with other journalists who were visibly wearing a journalist's sign, who were in the open, in an area where witnesses say there were no Palestinians shooting. She is a veteran journalist, with many years of experience working in such areas. This of course comes a few weeks after Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett made it clear that the military will act, I quote, without limitation on its activities in the occupied territory, the Israeli army routinely uses excessive force, uses force that exceeds what is international, what we provided by law. Human Rights Watch has documented that many other journalists were actually killed in 2019. The UN has appointed a commission of inquiry that found that the Israeli army shot at Palestinian journalists, I quote, who were performing their duties knowing who they were. So, this is a direct result of decades of impunity for serious abuses.

Omar, we know that the last time Israel and Palestine had a conflict last year, the whole building was basically destroyed. And Al Jazeera had offices, as did some other media. There is this pattern that may be the suppression of media freedom and the right to inform people about what is happening in areas where conflicts are currently happening. And do we know what happened during the month of Ramadan in Haram Al-Sharif and the area around it?

There is a pattern of complete neglect of Palestinian life. The reality is that the Israeli authorities are committing crimes against humanity, apartheid and the persecution of millions of Palestinians. This is evidence that has been confirmed in recent months and years, not only by Palestinian civil society groups, but also by Israeli, international groups such as Amnesty International, Human Right Watch, but also B'Tselem, the Israeli human rights organization. Part of that apartheid crime was, of course, the excessive use of force, whether they were Palestinian protesters or in some cases, the lives of Palestinian journalists were taken. And so it has been for a long time. So, of course, while international and Israeli journalists generally operate with a high degree of freedom throughout Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the reality is quite different for Palestinian journalists who regularly face criminal charges, arrests, beatings, and even death, as in the case of Shireena. today.

The final question is that many have sought investigations. Naftali Bennett also said that he offered Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinians to have an investigation, but many say that no matter what happens, the investigation will be conducted in an appropriate manner. Or will ro basically be a dead letter on paper?

Look, Israeli investigations have long been a washing machine. As Israel’s main human rights organization B’Tselem has documented that we have years and decades in fact where Israel promises investigations as a way to avoid international pressure or not move towards international investigations. In any case, methodically and systematically, the Israeli government does not call the perpetrators to account and finds other ways to basically release not only the soldiers but also the officials who ordered these killings. The reality is that this is not a bunch of a few apples, is it? Rot is at the very core of the system. They follow orders that come from the highest level, orders that have authorized unrestricted work, that give authority to use excessive force. Thus, Israel does not want and is not able to investigate its crimes, which only increases the urgency of international criminal courts, prosecutor's offices to move forward with the formal investigation that has been launched, as well as UN commissions of inquiry and other international mechanisms. And move forward so the killers are no longer free.