NEW DELHI: Claiming that the slain Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aqla was injured by Palestinian gunfire and not by Israel Defence Force (IDF), Israel urged Palestine to investigate the incident through a ‘joint pathological investigation’.
Shireen Abu Aqla succumbed to bullet injuries during an operation by IDF, Israeli Security Authority and Israel Border Police which was carried out at the Jenin refugee camp, Israel’s New Delhi embassy informed.
“We call on the Palestinians to investigate this issue through a joint pathological investigation. The State of Israel is in favour of the truth. They have refused until this very moment, possibly in order to hide the truth,” the Israeli mission in New Delhi said.
The Israeli troops were on a look out operation to arrest suspects in terrorist activities. During the operation, substantial fire was aimed and explosives were also hurled at the Israeli security forces. Israeli forces managed to escape without any serious injuries, whereas several on the rival front got seriously injured, according to Israel’s embassy in New Delhi.
Born in Jerusalem, Shireen Abu Aqla began working for Al Jazeera in 1997, soon after the channel came into existence.
She went to Jordan to earn a degree in Journalism and covered Palestine extensively. During the military operation, she was seen wearing a blue flak Press jacket. Her body was kept for autopsy on Wednesday before the funeral.
“This is an environment saturated with terrorists who, unlike IDF soldiers, shoot indiscriminately,” the Israeli mission further said. “We express our sorrow over the death of the journalist, see great importance in the freedom of the press, and work to preserve it. However, caution must be taken when entering and staying in areas in which shootings are carried out by terrorists,” Israel’s Delhi mission added.