The Journalists Support Committee (JSC) warns against the Israeli occupation’s continuous attacks and targeting of journalists and media outlets in Jenin. Today, the journalist Shireen Abu Akleh (correspondent for Al-Jazeera channel) was assassinated by direct shot in the head and the journalist Ali Al-Samoudi (producer of Al-Jazeera and Al-Quds newspaper correspondent) was shot in the back, while covering the events of Jenin. It is noted that Abu Akleh was wearing the Press jacket, and eyewitnesses testified that the targeting was deliberate.

Today’s Israeli targeting of journalists raises the number of victims of the press family to 48 as of the year 2000. Moreover, more than 66 journalists were injured by live bullets, rubber and poison gas canisters, in an attempt to assassinate the truth, since the beginning of the year 2022.

JSC, reiterating the condemnation of the attacks on journalists and media outlets, which constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, which classifies them as civilian assets and criminalizes attacks on them and the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant international conventions, demands international and human rights organizations, especially UNESCO and the International Federation of Journalists, to take immediate and urgent actions to pressure the Israeli occupation authorities to stop their violations of the rights of journalists and media professionals in Palestine and to secure the necessary protection for journalists and media headquarters, as those attacks aim to impose a media blackout and deprive individuals of the right to access information from its sources and follow up on events.

In parallel, the Committee also calls on the concerned authorities, especially the International Criminal Court and UNESCO, to conduct prompt and transparent investigations into crimes and attacks committed against journalists, in accordance with the principle of ending impunity for crimes committed against journalists.

JSC - Switzerland

Wednesday, May 11^th, 2022