Featuring Daoud Kuttab and Mohammed Daraghmeh
Dear Mr. Secretary and Director Wray
We are writing you regarding the recent death of Shireen Abu Akleh, a 51 year-old Palestinian American. Ms. Abu Akleh, a journalist for Al Jazeera, was fatally shot in the West Bank city of Jenin on May 11, 2022. We request the State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) launch an investigation into the death of Ms. Abu Akleh.
AP News reported that Ms. Abu Akleh was fatally shot in the head on the outskirts of the
Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank. Her producer, Palestinian journalist Ali Samoudi, was hospitalized in
stable condition after being shot in the back. It was also reported that Palestinian journalists who were with Ms.
Abu Akleh and Mr. Samoundi at the time said that they made their presence known to Israeli soldiers, and they did
not see militants in the area. The Israeli military claimed that the victims were caught between gunfire between
Palestinian militants and Israeli Defense Forces. However, media and eyewitnesses had conflicting reports.
Shaza Hanaysheh, another Palestinian journalist among the reporters, also said that there were no clashes or
shooting in the immediate area. News reports from the Washington Post, New York
Times, CNN, and Aljazeera also highlight these conflicting reports.
As Members of Congress, we are deeply concerned by the death of Ms. Abu Akleh. Journalists worldwide must be protected at all costs. The U.S. State Department called Ms. Abu Akleh’s death “an affront to media freedom.” We welcome the actions and statements taken so far by the U.S. Department of State supporting a thorough investigation by the Israeli government. However, given the tenuous situation in the region and the conflicting reports surrounding the death of Ms. Abu Akleh, we request the State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) launch an investigation into Ms. Abu Akleh’s death. We also request the U.S. Department of State determines whether any U.S. laws protecting Ms. Abu Akleh, an American citizen, were violated.
As an American, Ms. Abu Akleh was entitled to the full protections afforded to U.S. citizens living abroad. We, the undersigned Members of Congress, urge you to uphold the values that our nation was founded on, including human rights, equality for all, and freedom of speech. We have a duty to protect Americans reporting abroad. We look forward to your timely response.
Past Action: Urge your Member of Congress to push for a US-led investigation into the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh
For those of us who care about peace between Israel and Palestine, last week was incredibly hard. We are outraged – first by the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu-Akleh during an IDF incursion in the West Bank town of Jenin, then by the violent attack by Israeli police on her funeral on Friday.
Freedom of the press is of paramount importance, particularly when conflicting narratives and biases often obscure the truth, as is the case in Israel-Palestine. The State Department has called Ms. Abu Akleh’s death “an affront to media freedom.” And while the State Department has made statements supporting a thorough investigation by the Israeli government, this is not enough. Americans for Peace Now has called for a swift and independent investigation of the circumstances that caused her death and now members of Congress, led by Representatives Andre’ Carson and Lou Correa, are requesting the State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) launch an investigation into Ms. Abu Akleh’s death as well.
It is important that the United States protect Americans reporting abroad and that includes conducting independent investigations when a journalist is harmed.
Read the full text of the letter here.
Produced by the Foundation for Middle East Peace in cooperation with Americans for Peace Now, where the Legislative Round-Up was conceived.
1. Bills, Resolutions,
Letters
2.
Hearings
3. On the
Record
New from FMEP:
- FMEP webinar 5/12/22: The Weaponization of Israel/Palestine in US Elections Campaigns, ft. Rania Batrice (Organizer, communications and legislative strategist, mediator, and advisor to elected officials, candidates, and non-profits both domestic and around the globe) & Peter Beinart (Newmark J-School and CUNY Graduate Center; editor-at-large for Jewish Currents, MSNBC political commentator, and fellow at the FMEP) in conversation with Lara Friedman (FMEP).
Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. He is the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, a former senior official with the Mossad, and a former IDF intelligence officer. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.
|
Americans for Peace Now is proud to be a sponsor of the 2022 Israel Film Center Festival, taking place from June 1 to June 8. The five films will be screened at the Marlene Meyerson JCC in Manhattan and will also be available for streaming online throughout the week. There will also be live Q+As with the filmmakers, taking place throughout the week over Zoom! You can learn more and buy tickets below, and don’t forget to use the code “american22” to save 20%! |
|
Featuring Dr. Dana Mills
Our partners at Shalom Achshav are leading a coalition of peace and human rights organizations on a
campaign to highlight the breach of Israeli and international law, and of the violations of Palestinian
human rights associated with the illegal settlement of Homesh in the northern West Bank.
On this May 19th webinar, at 12:00 PM EST, acting Executive Director of Shalom Achshav, Dr. Dana Mills, will provide background and analysis on the illegality and significance of Homesh. She will also discuss broader developments related to West Bank settlements, shortly before President Biden’s visit to Israel.
Americans for Peace Now strongly condemns the Israeli government’s decision to approve construction of 4,427 new homes in West Bank settlements.
Last week, APN urged the Biden administration to act to block the approval. The White House expressed its displeasure with the settlement announcement, but the Government of Israel went ahead with the plan.
Outraged by the killing of journalist Shireen Abu-Akleh during an IDF incursion in the West Bank town of Jenin, Americans for Peace Now (APN) urges a swift and independent investigation of the circumstances that caused her death. APN conveys its deepest condolences to Abu-Akleh’s family.
Anti-Zionism is not (necessarily) antisemitism
For ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt to depict any and all anti-Zionist views or attitudes as antisemitic is wrong.
At the Anti-Defamation League’s national summit last week, ADL’s CEO Jonathan Greenblatt unequivocally stated that “anti-Zionism is antisemitism.” No ifs ands or buts. No reservations. No nuance. He repeated his statement, explaining that he does so “because words have power. Words have meaning.”
He’s right about one thing: words do matter. And that’s why it’s so disheartening to see a well-respected leader from an organization as important as the ADL make a statement that is so clearly false.