Libel: “There is a decision by the occupation government to liquidate the Palestinian journalists” - Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate Chairman

Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate Chairman Nasser Abu Bakr: “The Martyrdom of [journalist] Shireen Abu Akleh is targeting all- the issue of Shireen Abu Akleh is an issue [that relates to] all the Palestinian journalists: The issue of targeting all the Palestinian journalists…There is a decision by the occupation state and occupation government to liquidate the Palestinian journalists. Why? Because they want to frighten the Palestinian journalists so they will not convey the truth and will not reveal the Israeli occupation’s crimes against our Palestinian people.” [Official PA TV, Topic of the Day, May 11, 2022]

Shireen Abu Akleh - 51-year-old Palestinian-American journalist for Al-Jazeera who was shot and killed while covering a gunbattle initiated by Palestinian terrorists who attacked Israeli forces during an operation in Jenin on May 11, 2022. The PA immediately accused Israel of shooting Abu Akleh without providing evidence. Israel rejected the accusation, noting Palestinian terrorists were filmed shooting indiscriminately and saying they had hit an Israeli soldier even though no soldiers were wounded, possibly indicating they had shot Abu Akleh. The PA rejected Israel's request to conduct a joint investigation of the incident, and its request to let it examine the bullet that killed Abu Akleh to determine whether it was fired by Israeli forces. The bullet is of a type used by both Israeli soldiers and Palestinian terrorists. In a press conference following Abu Akleh's autopsy on the day of her death, Head of An-Najah National University’s Forensic Medicine Department Dr. Rayyan Al-Ali said it could not yet be determined which side shot her.