Shireen Abu Akleh: Given that the Killer Is an Ally, Justice Cannot Be Achieved
Today, May 11, 2023, marks the first anniversary of the murder of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF), who shot her indiscriminately while she was covering the Israeli military raid on Jenin.
A year has passed, but justice has not yet been achieved despite the repeated appeals of her family, colleagues in the Al-Jazeera channel, and prominent human rights organisations to hold the perpetrators accountable.
Shireen’s case continues to bear witness to the hypocrisy and double standards of the international community, just like all other Palestinian victims and victims of oppressive regimes around the world.
Being a Palestinian-US national was not enough for the Biden administration to act and defend Shireen’s right to justice. The Biden administration disregarded Shireen’s case and only made public statements denouncing the crime without naming the offender. At first, it adopted the Israeli narrative of the story, holding Palestinians responsible for her killing. Once the truth came out, the White House remained silent.
Under Congress pressure, the FBI opened a fake investigation into the incident. However, it has produced nothing thus far, as it was obvious that the US administration was attempting to obstruct the investigation’s development.
The US administration’s response to the murder of Sherine Abu Akleh, as well as its response to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, is shameful as long as the perpetrators are US allies. Like Saudi Arabia, Israel is a significant US ally.
In his presidential campaign, Joe Biden promised to place human rights at the top of his foreign policy agenda. But this wasn’t accomplished. On the other hand, he boasted of his good relations with the Israeli occupation and abandoned all efforts to hold Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and war crimes committed in Yemen.
Unfortunately, justice will not be served, and victims will not receive justice as long as the perpetrators are US allies, as long as the international community continues to act hypocritically and with a double standard, and as long as economic and political interests continue to take precedence over human rights.
