Documentary Names Israeli Soldier in Killing of Renowned Palestinian Journalist
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A new documentary identifies the Israeli soldier who fatally shot Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in 2022 and a US cover-up to shield Israel from accountability.
A 40-minute investigative film titled Who Killed Shireen? released by Washington-based media company Zeteo, reveals the identity of the Israeli soldier responsible for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh.
The documentary indicated that the soldier was a 20-year-old on his first combat deployment in the occupied West Bank.
It also accuses both Israel and the US of concealing the circumstances of the killing to avoid legal or political consequences.
Dion Nissenbaum, executive producer of the film, said the team set out to uncover the shooter’s identity—information Israel has kept classified.
“We found some concerning evidence that both Israel and the Biden administration had covered up Shireen’s killing and allowed the soldier to get away without any accountability,” Nissenbaum told Al Jazeera.
He added that the Biden administration had internally concluded early on that Abu Akleh had been intentionally targeted, but that conclusion was suppressed.
The documentary includes testimonies from former US and Israeli officials, soldiers, and journalists familiar with Abu Akleh’s work.
“We hope that people will be reminded of what an icon Shireen was,” Nissenbaum said.
Abu Akleh, a veteran reporter for Al Jazeera, was shot on May 11, 2022, while covering an Israeli military raid in the Jenin refugee camp.
She was wearing a helmet and a press vest when she was killed.
Al Jazeera called her death a “cold-blooded assassination.”
Multiple investigations by international media outlets, human rights organizations, and the United Nations concluded that Abu Akleh was likely killed deliberately by Israeli forces.
Israel initially blamed Palestinian gunmen but later admitted one of its soldiers had likely fired the fatal shot, calling it accidental.
In 2023, the Israeli military issued an apology but declined to press charges against any personnel involved.
The US subsequently dropped its request for an Israeli criminal inquiry.
Anton Abu Akleh, Shireen’s brother, said the documentary was “really important” for the family and affirmed that it proves she was systematically targeted.
Reporters Without Borders said on Friday that Israeli forces killed nearly 200 journalists in the first 18 months of Israel’s all-out assault on Gaza, at least 42 of whom were slain while doing their job.
