New Delhi: Al-Jazeera is blaming Israel for the death of its reporter, who was shot and killed while covering an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank.
The Qatar-based broadcaster flashed a statement on its channel saying: “We call on the international community to condemn and hold the Israeli occupation forces accountable for deliberately targeting and killing our colleague Shireen Abu Akleh.”
Abu Akleh was shot and killed early Wednesday in the northern West Bank town of Jenin. The Israeli military says it is investigating the incident and that she may have been hit by Palestinian gunfire.
Meanwhile, a Qatar minister said that the veteran journalist was killed "in cold blood". "In a blatant murder, violating international laws and norms, the Israeli occupation forces assassinated in cold blood Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Palestine." Qatar's assistant foreign minister Lolwah Al Khater said.
She tweeted, "A heinous crime added to the hideous record of the Israeli occupation, as they killed the journalist #شيرين_ابو_عاقلة with a bullet in the face while she was wearing a press jacket and documented their terror against civilians. We all attached ourselves to Shereen, the free voice of Palestine, with this confident face, even in the darkest conditions in which the truffles tremble. May God accept her and our condolences to her family."
While Al Jazeera claimed that Akleh was deliberately killed, the Israeli army has reaffirmed that the circumstances of the death are unclear.
US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides expressed condolences on the veteran journalist's demise. He wrote on Twitter, "Very sad to learn of the death of American and Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh of @AJArabic @AJEnglish. I encourage a thorough investigation into the circumstances of her death and the injury of at least one other journalist today in Jenin."
(With Inputs From PTI)