The assassination of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh exemplifies the Israeli occupation forces’ cruelty towards the defenceless Palestinian people.
This cruelty can be seen not only in Jenin, where Shireen was killed, but also in Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza, and the rest of the Palestinian territory.
This murder demonstrates once again that there is no respite for Palestinians, Arabs, as well as for Israelis unless there is a just peace that returns the stolen rights of landowners.
The Palestinian wrath, which began more than 70 years ago, will not subside. The Palestinian people have demonstrated that despite the passage of time and the passing of generations, their resolve and memory are unbreakable. They can and will continue to make sacrifices indefinitely.
Shireen was assassinated by Israeli occupation troops with a bullet shot from less than 130 metres away, while she was wearing clothes with the word “PRESS” inscribed on them. They killed her with a bullet in the face!
Despite irrefutable evidence that the Israeli army killed her, Israel refuses to accept full responsibility for the crime. Nor that any of their soldiers could face punishment. According to the Israeli army, “it is impossible to identify the source of the shooting that killed journalist Shireen Abu Akleh”.
But isn’t the attack on her coffin and the terrorisation of citizens attending her burial enough to identify the perpetrator?
As expected, neither the US nor the European Union reacted decisively to this heinous atrocity. In a prior article, I stated that the Ukrainian war demonstrated that the West was neither honest nor neutral, and if Shireen had been assassinated in Ukraine, the Western world would have been outraged.
Unfortunately, international organisations such as human rights organisations, Journalists Without Borders, and others, have evolved into an advanced battalion in the war against Russia. However, it appears that the assassination of an Arab journalist is a controversial issue within these organisations, although international humanitarian law stipulates that civilian journalists performing their duties in armed conflict must be protected from every form of a deliberate attack.
We see Arabs confronting Islamic extremism represented by movements such as ISIS, Al Houthi, and Hizbollah with tenacity, determination, and actions on the ground, not just words. At the same time, it is astonishing that the US lacks the passion to support the Arabs in their fight against extremism.
Palestinian-American Shireen is not the only Christian who has proved her belonging and devotion to her nation, the list includes Edward Said, George Habash, and many others. This is the spirit of Arabism; it shines and fades but never dies.
Arabs and Muslims have proven throughout history that they are people of dignity and morals and that their message is one of brotherhood and civilisation. As a result, Islam spread rapidly throughout the region’s peoples, including Turks, Kurds, and others.
Commander of the Believers, Omar Ibn Al Khattab received the keys to Jerusalem from Patriarch Sophronius and wrote the “Omar Pact” to guarantee its people’s religious ceremonies. Saladin also did not torture or massacre his Crusader adversaries after defeating them at the Battle of Hattin, while Tariq ibn Ziyad, Abd al-Rahman al-Dakhil, and others spread knowledge and civilisation throughout Andalusia.
This is our history, and these great Arab figures are our role models. We draw inspiration from them for our current beliefs, including the openness of our Arab Gulf leaders to Israel and by accepting the fait accompli. This is an attempt by our leaders to impose normalisation, co-operation, and peace that prioritises the Palestinian cause and the interests of the Palestinian people.
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