The circumstances surrounding Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh's death on Wednesday could have disturbing diplomatic consequences for Israel but also on the ground, where there is serious concern the incident could encourage a continuation of the violence Israel has been trying to contend with in recent weeks.
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Preliminary details of the incident indicate an elite IDF Duvdevan unit that entered the Jenin refugee camp to arrest an Islamic Jihad operative was operating at the site at the time. The IDF soldiers were targeted by gunfire and Molotov cocktails and returned fire. On its face, this was a routine series of events within the framework of Operation Breakwater at the height of particularly tense days in Jenin, a place that has turned out quite a few terrorists in recent months.
But the death of the Al Jazeera correspondent in the press vest demands an in-depth investigation. No footage has been released of the incident thus far. We have only seen video of armed Palestinians shooting guns in Jenin, and it remains unclear whether they were filmed firing their weapons around the time Abu Akleh was shot. Other videos show the reporter being evacuated from the scene. Palestinian reporters in the vicinity at the time claim she was hit by Israeli gunfire and that armed Palestinians were not operating at the site at the time.
In an initial statement following the reporter's killing, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said IDF, Israeli Security Agency, and Border Police forces were operating in the Jenin refugee camp near the village of Burqin. During the operation, Israeli forces came under heavy gunfire and were targeted with IEDs. Israeli forces responded with fire and hits were identified. "The possibility reporters were injured, possibly by Palestinian gunfire, is being examined. The incident is being investigated," the IDF said in a statement.
The IDF's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee later tweeted: "It seems – according to initial assessments – that she was hit by Palestinian gunfire and not IDF fire.
"In videos shared by armed Palestinians in Jenin, indiscriminate gunfire is seen, and they boast about hitting a soldier and him lying on the ground although the journalist was the only victim in the incident."
The IDF has called for a joint investigation into the incident with the Palestinians. "The State of Israel is for the truth. Thus far, they have refused, possibly to conceal the truth."
Following the incident, IDF Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi toured the Seam Zone areas east of the Green Line and west of the Jerusalem-adjacent security fence and conducted a preliminary investigation into the military's operations in the refugee camp.
According to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, Kochavi issued a directive "to act, clarify, and investigate the incident through the use of all the tools at our disposal to get to the truth." It said Kochavi had appointed a team headed by Commando Brigade head Col. Menni Liberty to investigate the incident.
"IDF units are operating day after day with determination, thwarting terror and preventing attacks," Kochavi said. "The activity is carried out everywhere necessary, and in the Jenin area that has a high concentration of terrorists in particular. During overnight activity, as is the case with many other incidents, Palestinians carried out heavy gunfire at our forces – wild and indiscriminate gunfire in every direction. Unlike the Palestinians, IDF soldiers carry out professional and selective gunfire. The journalist who was killed was at the scene of the fighting. At this stage, we cannot determine what direction the gunfire came from, and we are sorry for her death."
Kochavi said, "To get to the truth, we have established a special team to clarify the facts and present them in full as soon as possible. The fighters operated tonight under fire and showed courage and determination to protect citizens of the state, and we will continue in this way wherever necessary."
Addressing the Knesset plenum Wednesday, Defense Minister Benny Gantz said he was sorry for the incident. He noted that initial IDF findings had not indicated Israeli gunfire directed at the reporter, "but we are continuing to investigate. We will transfer the information we have transparently and clearly to both our American friends and the Palestinian Authority."
The damage to Israel caused by Abu Akleh's death joins two incidents that took place during Operation Guardian of the Walls in the Gaza Strip exactly one year ago that harmed Israel's legitimacy and its relations with international media. One was the airstrike on a building housing, among others, Associated Press reporters. Israel claimed the building served as a base for Hamas activity. The second was an IDF statement to foreign media outlets that was seen as an attempt to mislead Hamas.
Given the incredible potential damage, calls were heard Wednesday night for the establishment of an investigative committee with international involvement and not suffice with a military investigation to avoid long-term damage and the continued escalation of tensions in the territories that will necessarily lead to additional terrorist attacks.
In the meantime, while the IDF has opened an internal investigation and appointed an investigative committee, military officials have largely focused their efforts on drawing attention to the Palestinians' refusal to establish a joint investigation of the incident.
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