>> this is al jazeera and these are the top stories. the body of al jazeera journalist shireen abu akleh is not at a hospital in occupied is jerusalem. the veteran journalist who was shot dead by israeli forces of the age of 51 funeral will take place friday. israel'ssoldiers shot shireen a, according to the washington post. it says the army is looking into three separate incident connected. to the killing.

so is a wending of her colleague. israeli forces are set to be carrying out tests of the rifles of some of its military members. >> this might be a way to pave the world for israel to acknowledge it is a reason behind this killing. yesterday they were trying to get the bullet that is now in the hands of the palestinian side, the bullet that killed shireen abu akleh. have no more to say no. no justifications. i understand how much international pressure there is. that is why we have seen statements. >> the israeli position is turning in a way. >> palestinian president mahmoud abbas says he will seek justice for her death at the criminal court. he paid tribute to the al jazeera journalist at a status service held in her honor. . finland looks set to apply for nato membership after the prime minister and president said it must happen. finland shares a 1300 kilometer border with russia.

the government has set the russia is calling its nato aspirations a threat. sudanese security forces have fired tear gas and stun grenades at dusters railing against the country's military ruler. thousands demonstrated in khartoum, manning exhibited government and expressing their anger at the stalled transition. . those are the headlines. the news continues here on al jazeera after "inside story." ♪ ♪ hashem: is israel a broke state? it's army has killed al jazeera journalist shireen abu akleh in

cold blood. and this is not the first time. will israel get away with its crimes? and who can hold it to account? this is "inside story." ♪ hashem: hello, and welcome to the program. i'm hashem ahelbarra. shireen abu akleh was a household name across the middle east. the veteran al jazeera journalist earned widespread praise for more than two decades of reporting on israel's occupation of palestinian territory, telling stories of war atrocities and palestinian resistance. she was shot in the head as she covered israel's latest raid on the jenin refugee camp in the occupied west bank. al jazeera condemned the killing as a blatant murder intended to prevent journalists from conducting their duty.

qatar's emir called on those who assassinated shireen to be brought to justice. jamal shayal takes a look at what we know about the killing of shireen. [shouting] [gunfire] reporter: "don't shoot the messenger," -- unless you're an israeli soldier. in that case, you're seemingly okay with shooting a reporter who's clearly identifiable as a journalist and poses no threat. shireen abu akleh is the latest reporter to be killed by the israeli military which has a long history of targeting journalists and news outlets. particularly al jazeera. shireen, a veteran reporter who spent her life covering events in occupied palestine, was among a group of journalists documenting what is happening in janjenin early on wednesday. according to eyewitnesses and video footage, she was wearing a safety vest and helmet both of which clearly identified her as

a member of the press. despite this, or maybe because of it, shireen was shot and killed. >> we were going to f film the israeli army operation. certainly they shot us without having asked us to leave. the first bullet hit me in the second hit shireen. they killed her in cold blood, because they are killers and specialize in killing only palestinian people. we had no resistance and there was no palestinian resistance at the scene. reporter: journalist ali samoudi, was also shot and injured in the attack. >> there was no exchange of fire so there is no possibility whatsoever that are palestinian we have shot shireen. the israeli army always uses these excuses to cover up the crimes they are committing against palestinians including palestinian journalists. [protestors chanting] reporter: according to human rights groups, israel has killed 50 journalists since 2000, and injured more than 144 in the past four years alone.

reporter: this is also not the first time israel has intentionally targeted al jazeera. last year, the network's office in gaza was bombed to rubble . and this journalist was assaulted by israeli forces whilst reporting on israel's ethnic cleansing of arab residents in occupied east jerusalem's sheikh jarrah neighborhood. israeli authorities say they've launched an investigation but human rights groups say they have little faith in israeli justice, particularly with renowned organizations like human rights watch and amnesty international, accusing israel of implementing a system of apartheid. >> there are human rights organizations, for example, like bethlehem and israeli human rights organizations, that decided a long time ago that they are no longer going to even

interact with the complaints system within the israeli army, because it is not serious, it doesn't find israeli soldiers guilty. reporter: qatar's foreign ministry, whose country hosts the al jazeera network, issued a statement. "the israeli occupation killed al jazeera journalist shireen abu akleh by shooting her in the face while wearing the press vest and a helmet. she was covering their attack in the refugee camp. this state-sponsored israeli terrorism must stop and unconditional support to israel must end your court reporter: the european union and other members of the international community have also condemned the killing but all these condemnations have fallen short of including any sanctioning or punishment for a crime that threatens the essence of any free society, a free press. shireen was killed trying to inform the world of what was happening in her country. the world now knows that in occupied palestine, no one is

safe from israel's bullets, not even journalists. [gunfire] hashem: the killing of shireen abu akleh triggered international condemnation. u.n.'s's special envoy for the middle east peace process demanded immediate and thorough investigation. the u.s. ambassador to israel also tweeted a call for a thorough probe into the circumstances of her death. israel has proposed a joint inquiry, but the palestinian foreign ministry said it doesn't trust investigations by an occupying state, adding "they do not lead to a place other than quitting criminals and murderers." last month, international and palestinian media groups submitted a formal complaint to the international criminal court , accusing israel of war crimes against journalists. 24 journalists have been killed

since 200. 2that figure does not include shireen abu akleh. other press freedom advocates have reported higher numbers. israel systematically targets journalists from media outlets including al jazeera. several on board a humanitarian flotilla heading to gaza were detained in 2010. a year ago this week, an israeli airstrike destroyed the offices of al jazeera and the associated press in gaza. a month later, israeli soldiers arrested al jazeera journalist guivara budiri as she covered protests in the occupied east jerusalem. ♪ let's bring in our guests. in west jerusalem, hagai el-ad is executive director of the israeli information center for human rights in the occupied territories. in doha, aicha elbasri, researcher at the arab center for research and policy studies in cambridge. in cambridge rami khouri,

, professor of journalism at american university of beirut and senior fellow at the harvard kennedy school. welcome to the program. hagai, how would you characterize the position of the israeli government so far? because when you listen to benny gantz, the defense minister, he seems to be saying that this could have the fire that targeted shireen abu akleh, that it could have come from the israeli side. you have the israeli prime minister naftali bennett, saying , at the same time that we should blame palestinian fighters for this. guest: i think they've pivoted very quickly from their initial efforts to deflect by suggesting in numerous ways, from the prime minister on down, the alternative prime minister, other government ministers, the foreign minister, of very quickly suggesting based on a short video clip that it was palestinian gunfire that killed shireen and injured her colleague.

and then once that was thoroughly debunked within a few hours, also thanks to the work of b'tselem itself, they shifted to their typical routine, which is offering investigation. this clearly demonstrates that the cases of such killings of palestinians, the announcement of israel's desire or intention to investigate does not lead to accountability, it is just the beginning of the state's organized whitewash. hashem: aicha, the israeli government is calling for a joint investigation. the palestinian authority says it does not trust a joint investigation. where does this leave the case of shireen abu akleh? guest: let us start with this question, do we really need an investigation.

an investigation is called for when there is doubt. and from what we saw from what we heard the media professionals , the palestinians who were there next to shireen abu akleh and were also victims of the same attack, they saw the perpetrators. eyewitnesses, they are witnessing this targeting of shireen abu akleh and her colleagues, it is quite enough to establish this crime. i agree with what has just been said, the investigation is an old trick. it is a strategy to model the waters, to -- strategy to muddle the waters, to appease kate by time until the outrage and the tension is diffused. so i think there is enough evidence. the eyewitnesses are very credible. and one thinks that palestinians are not trustworthy to be witnesses of an attack that they

saw the perpetrators. that would be another discrimination. hashem: rami, the palestinian president, mahmoud abbas, said that the authority is going to take the case to the icc, international criminal court do you see the case taking that path anytime soon? guest: it is likely that the icc will be asked to open a preliminary investigation. reporters without borders and amnesty international have already tried to leave the international criminal court to investigate the israeli destruction of an entire apartment block of offices last year in gaza, that held the associated press and al jazeera and other journalists. so the likelihood of any serious action by the icc is slim. but that palestinians are now using every opportunity available to them, nonviolently and legally, to mobilize public

opinion, to lean on the rule of law, to hold zionism and israel accountable for their actions. and i think we will see more becauses of this kind. but very little independent investigation is likely to happen. i don't think much investigation is needed. if you look at the washington post story this morning by three terrific reporters on the ground who went there and spent hours investigating every angle every israeli claim, every palestinian claim, they said the evidence is very clear. hashem: hagai you spoke of what happened when the israeli government posted the video showing palestinian fighters trying to create its own , narrative by suggesting that these could be the people who have killed shireen abu akleh. when he stepped in, you said this is absolutely no way that this could have come from those areas. you look at that position by the

israeli government right after the beginning of the international outcry against the assassination of shireen abu akleh, do you see the potential for an independent impartial investigation by the israeli government that would provide the crucial elements of exactly what happened and the circumstances of the killing of shireen abu akleh? guest: we have the experience, unfortunately, of many years of work, of the ability to analyze and understand what the israeli investigation system is really about. it's not meant to establish accountability. it is meant to protect the perpetrators while pushing against the jurisdiction of international justice while suggesting that there is domestic recourse, while in fact, there isn't. so there is a reason why israel invests all these efforts in the public relations of what looks like an investigation so that there won't be international jurisdiction, while succeeding at the same time succeeding in

, providing itself with blanket immunity. i think from israel's perspective, looking back at the record from numerous cases of killings of palestinians in the west bank, in east jerusalem, in major military operations against gaza, the use of snipers against palestinian demonstrators during the great march of return, and so many other examples, eventually, israel managed to get away with it. both to maintain this reality of committing war crimes and enjoying impunity. and at the same time somehow , preserving its standing in the world as a democratic nation, member of the western club of countries and so on, with no consequences. that is really what is essential, what must change if we are to get closer to some sort of justice here. hashem: aicha, when you see the string of international

condemnations and statements coming out right after the assassination of shireen abu akleh, the e.u. urging an independent investigation, the united nations human rights chief michelle bachelet, saying that it is time for anand to impunity -- it is time for an end to impunity in israel, do you see realistically a chance for a change of behavior in israel? guest: as far as the atrocities committed against journalists, all the statements we have been hearing, they have been playing at the hands of israel, because they've been also playing the same game of casting doubt about the testimony of the media professionals, palestinians who were there, and also the perpetrators. what should be looked at right now is the big picture of why shireen was killed, why she was targeted. was it because she was a journalist and was chasing stories about the crime and exposing them, but also because

she was an arab palestinian who was, like most of the palestinians targeted, denied the right to exist by israel. she was chasing the story. the big picture right now is what happened in that camp she while she was there. because palestinians in that camp are living under apartheid in israel. that is the story. unless the so-called international community deals with this issue, i don't think there will be a change. plus the big step taken by the u.n. was actually by the special reporter on 22nd march, 2022, who exposed for the first time , facts that have been documented by palestinians, by

palestinian organizations, by human rights watch and amnesty international. he confirmed that there is apartheid system in israel, dis. unless the national community deals with this issue, i don't think there will be any change. hashem: rami, there have been many, many, many reports of the last few years by independent media organizations in the occupied territories talking and documenting the cases of abuse , killing of journalists, for many years in those areas. we have not seen an international outcry. could the case of shireen abu akleh be the moment that would bring together a new awareness about the need to put an end to targeting of journalists? guest: i doubt that it will go that far, but what it will do is add one more element in a

growing crescendo of international concern, mobilization, action, political pressure, public statements, media coverage, organizing the labor groups and at universities all around the world, a very, very slow trend in the last 10 or 15 years, especially in the last year, since may and june in jerusalem and other places around palestine. we have seen a significant but slow trend in which governments issue statements but they don't take action. now, we are seeing more and more action. bds is the main way that this is happening. but there are also law cases in the united states, parliamentary decisions in europe, labor unions, banks, supermarkets in europe, all saying we will not be complicit in israel's apartheid colonial system in the occupied palestinian territory

and treatment of palestinians. shireen's assassination will add one more push to this and it will bring journalists more actively into this. especially since she was a dual citizen, american and palestinian. but the most critical poin i think to grasp, is how this is being framed by palestinians as part of a 100-year struggle that this has been going on since the 1920's. jenin was a center of palestinian resistance to early zionism in the 1930s and has been ever since, as has gaza. the israelis were sending one of the strongest armies in the world into these little streets in the refugee camp with massive firepower, intelligence, satellites, everything you can think of, and they still can't quell it, they can't stop the resistance in jenin. that's why shireen was there. that's why she was shocked.

this is a bigger story. in the context has to be appreciated as an ongoing resistance war by palestinians , mostly peaceful, against the colonial zionist israeli move since the 1915, 1917. the balance is still in israel's favor, politically, globally. but it is slowly, slowly moving towards a more evenhanded position. this is important. hashem: hagai, i would like to hear your view. b'tselem, the organization that you work for, has been doing extraordinary work over the last few years in documenting human rights violations in the israeli occupied territories. now, the israeli government has been really angered by some of your reports to the point where it has been trying to produce new reports, parallel reports to discredit your narrative. at the same time, to give you an

example, in 2019, the united nations human rights council commissioner's report about it found that there are indications on the ground that israeli snipers have been targeting palestinian journalists who are trying to cover what was happening on the ground. the israeli government rejected the findings, saying that these are kangaroo-court reports. the way that the israeli government has been dealing with your reports, what kind of message does it send to the people? guest: just before i address that, i wanted to add one more thing about how critical impunity is for israel's oppression of palestinians. what i want to spell out is the following -- it is impossible to conduct such an oppressive apartheid regime against an entire people over decades without the usage of organized state violence all the time. to take their land, to control them, to oppress them.

the violence is an essential aspect of israel's ability to do this to the palestinian people, but it has to come with impunity. because if israel doesn't grant itself impunity, it doesn't have the ability to apply this kind of violence and successfully control the palestinians so this is strategic it's a cornerstone israel's regime. it has to be understood as a feature of this system. with regard to the way the government addresses our reports and the reports of other human rights organizations, of palestinian colleagues and international organizations and so on, it is a very typical response that doesn't address the substance, because they really can't argue with the facts and with the analysis. instead of that they have to try , and shoot the messenger. try and presenters as traitors or in the case of palestine colleagues, typically the

government will try to present them as terrorists. with regard to international entities usually the government , will use accusations of anti-semitism. the icc in itself was played by the former prime minister as both supportive of terrorism and anti-semitism. hashem: aicha, briefly if you don't mind, could it be this prevailing sentiment, particularly in the west, that, you know what, this is a part of the world where you have dictators, you have instability and so on and, violence and radical groups, who cares about the fate of journalists when they die? because you don't get the same response when it comes to similar cases where a western journalist is targeted or is killed? guest: well, i think the main reason is because israel is actually the product, the byproduct of western colonial settlers. this is their baby, basically.

so whatever israel is doing is the result of their creation, which unfortunately contributed to through the partition resolution, and out over the action and lack of action of the u.n.. so that is basically the reason why they don't want to hold israel to account. but the u.n. has a major role to play. i would say first that it has to follow up on the report on apartheid israel, and the need for dismantling it. secondly, there is a u.n. security council resolution, 2334, adopted in 2016, that calls for ending the occupation and also ending the illegal settlements. that needs a follow-up by the

state of palestine. there was also the icc. we haven't heard from karim khanna. he was very quick to take the first plane to ukraine and start the investigation, and we have not heard from him when it comes to palestine. it has been one year since. these are the three major decision-makers that need to do the right thing in order to dismantle apartheid. hashem: thank you very much indeed. this is exactly what shireen abu akleh said when she was last interviewed. i first went into jenin refugee camp 20 years ago. before that i had to overcome my fear. i chose to become a journalist because i wanted to be close to people. to all of you, i really appreciate your insight. thank you. and thank you, too, for watching. you can see the program again

anytime by visiting our website, aljazeera.com. go to our facebook page facebook.com/ajinsidestory and, , of course, you can join the conversation on twitter. our handle, @ajinside story. from me, hashem, and the whole team here in doha, thanks for watching. bye now. ♪ ac úç