New documentary identifies Shireen Abu Akleh's killer
DaysofPal- 'Killed Shireen?' is a powerful 40-minute investigative documentary that sheds new light on the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was fatally shot by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank in 2022.
The film stretches from the streets of Jenin and Jerusalem to the corridors of power in Washington, D.C., revealing not only the circumstances of Shireen's death but also the extensive efforts by Israeli and U.S. authorities to obscure the truth.
The documentary, prepared by an investigative journalist and Wall Street Journal reporter, includes extensive research and on-the-ground reporting. It features interviews with prominent figures, including Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, as well as previously unheard sources with direct knowledge of the case.
One of the film's most startling revelations is the identification of the Israeli soldier believed to have shot Shireen: Alon Skajio. According to Al Jazeera correspondent Bisan Abu Kweik, 'the irony revealed by the film is that the soldier who killed her colleague Shireen was killed last summer by Palestinian resistance fighters during a military operation carried out by Israeli occupation forces in Jenin.'
The documentary exposes not only the shooter but also the alleged attempts by both the Israeli and American governments to conceal the details surrounding Shireen's death.
'The film revealed information about the efforts of the Israeli and US governments to conceal information about the circumstances of the assassination of our late colleague and to prevent access to the killer,' the producers stated.
Shireen Abu Akleh, Al Jazeera journalist, was covering an Israeli military raid in the West Bank city of Jenin on May 11, 2022, when she was shot and killed.
Despite wearing marked press gear, she was struck by live fire in what many witnesses and investigators have called a targeted shooting.
In 2023, a damning report from the United Nations added weight to these accusations. Navi Pillay, head of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, stated:
'The investigation concluded that Israeli security forces used lethal force without justification under international human rights law and violated Shireen Abu Akleh's right to life, intentionally or recklessly.' She further added, 'After forensic analysis and expert testimony, the commission believes that the fatal bullet was most likely fired by a soldier belonging to the Duvdevan unit. We did not mention the name of the unit commander, but we have that information.'
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