Battle in Jenin, Al-Jazeera reporter killed • Bennett: Backing the fighters

May 11, 2022   

The Palestinians reported this morning (Wednesday) an exchange of fire with IDF forces in Jenin. The forces were carrying out an operation to arrest wanted terrorists when heavy fire was opened on them and they returned fire. The Palestinian Ministry of Health claimed that during the operation, senior journalist Shirin Abu Aqla from the Al Jazeera network was shot and killed and another journalist was wounded. The journalist, who was injured in her upper body, was evacuated to a local hospital, but was pronounced dead a short time later. The IDF said: "IDF, Shin Bet and Border Guard forces operated in recent hours in the Jenin refugee camp, near the village of Burkin and in several other locations throughout Judea and Samaria in order to arrest suspects in terrorist activity." "During the operation in the Jenin refugee camp, suspects fired massive fire at the force and threw explosives. The force returned fire. No casualties were reported. There were no casualties among our forces." The IDF spokesman emphasized that the journalist may have been hit by terrorist fire. "The possibility that journalists were hit is being examined, possibly by gunfire from Palestinian gunmen. The incident is clear." An Al-Jazeera network announcer updated on Abu Aqla's death: "We reiterate the news report that our delegation transmitted to Ramallah, and report on the death of our colleague Shirin Abu Aqla, who was injured by a direct hit to the head, knowing that all the journalists on the team covering the operations in Jenin were wearing press vests." IDF spokesman in Arabic Lt. Col. Avichai Adraee posted on his Twitter page: "Israel has proposed to the Palestinians to open a joint investigation into the circumstances of the killing of journalist Shirin Abu Aqla." In an interview with the IDF, Brigadier General Ran Kochav, IDF spokesman, said: "We fired accurately by snipers. The Palestinian fire that was fired was inaccurate, blatant, and rampant. They announced that they hit a soldier wearing a vest, but we know that no soldiers were hurt and Abu Aqla was apparently wearing a vest. I say this cautiously - apparently the person wearing the vest that the Palestinians announced they killed was the journalist. They are hiding the body because they know that if we examine it, we will find that she was hit by Palestinian fire." Researchers from the Im Tirtzu and Leh Jerusalem movement presented documentation in which it appears that the journalist was hit by fire from the Palestinians. According to them, "This is what the Palestinian lie looks like. The moment the journalist was hit by terrorist fire. They mistakenly believed that they hit an IDF soldier, and therefore they are heard saying 'we hit a soldier.'" Im Tirtzu responded: "We call on the media in Israel and members of the Knesset: Do not give a hand to the Palestinian tract of lies. The journalist in question was killed by terrorist fire in Jenin. The documentation proves this beyond a doubt. They seem to be rejoicing because they killed a soldier, but in reality no soldier was harmed. They decided to bury her immediately in order to bury the evidence and all attempts to reach the truth with her. Less than two hours after the incident, the funeral procession set off. Highly unusual." Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas condemned the "crime of executing" Al Jazeera journalist Shirin Abu Aqla. A statement from Mahmoud Abbas's office said: "Israel bears full responsibility for this crime, which is part of the daily policy that the occupation is pursuing against the Palestinian people, their land, and their holy places. The killing of Abu Aqla and the injury of journalist Ali Samoudi are part of the occupation's policy of harming journalists in order to obscure the truth and commit crimes in silence." Prime Minister Naftali Bennett responded to Abbas' accusations that Israel is responsible for the death of the Al Jazeera reporter: "The PA chairman is making accusations against Israel without solid basis. According to the data we currently have, there is a significant chance that armed Palestinians, who fired indiscriminately, were the ones who caused the journalist's unfortunate death. The Palestinians were even recorded saying, 'We hit a soldier, he is lying on the ground.' No soldiers were injured, which raises the possibility that they shot and hit the journalist," Bennett said. He added that Israel has offered the Palestinians a joint investigation into the incident, but they are refusing. "Israel has called on the Palestinians to conduct a joint pathological analysis and investigation, relying on all existing documentation and findings, in order to reach the truth. So far, the Palestinians have refused. "IDF forces will continue to act against the terrorists in their bases, in order to break the wave of murderous terror and restore security to the citizens of Israel. "We support our fighters.".