Journalists, diplomats, spiritual leaders, and officers together with Arab members of Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, attended the memorial procession on the Palestinian Authority President’s residence, which noticed Abu Akleh’s Palestinian-flag-draped coffin carried in as honor guards performed musical devices. Crowds that had gathered on the streets exterior the residence had been heard chanting “the sincere voice by no means dies” and “we sacrifice our blood and spirit for you, Shireen.”
The memorial was attended by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who in a speech on the occasion rejected Israel’s supply for a joint investigation into Abu Akleh’s killing and vowed to take the case to the ICC.
“We rejected, and proceed to reject, the joint investigation with the Israeli occupation authorities as a result of they dedicated the crime and we don’t belief them,” stated Abbas, standing earlier than Abu Akleh’s coffin. “We’ll go instantly to the Worldwide Felony Court docket to trace down the killers.”
The Palestinian-American was shot lifeless on Wednesday whereas reporting on Israeli navy raids within the West Financial institution metropolis of Jenin. Akleh’s producer, Ali Al-Samudi, was additionally shot and is in steady situation, the Palestinian well being ministry stated.
Al Jazeera has accused Israeli safety forces of intentionally concentrating on and killing Abu Akleh, 51 — one of many Arab world’s most distinguished journalists. Her demise was met with regional and worldwide outrage and requires accountability.
The circumstances surrounding her demise are unclear. Three eyewitnesses instructed CNN that the journalists had been shot by Israeli troops and that there have been no Palestinian militants subsequent to the journalists on the time.
Israeli International Minister Yair Lapid proposed a joint Israeli-Palestinian investigation into the demise on Wednesday.
The Israeli Protection Forces (IDF) stated its forces got here below heavy fireplace in the course of the counterterrorism operation, and that they returned fireplace.
IDF Worldwide Spokesperson Amnon Shefler instructed CNN late on Wednesday that the Israelis “simply do not know but” who killed Abu Akhleh, in what gave the impression to be a softening of earlier statements by Israeli officers that stated she was “possible” shot by crossfire from Palestinian militants.
Her employer, Al Jazeera, referred to as her demise “a blatant homicide” by Israeli forces.
Abu Akleh’s funeral will happen on Friday within the Roman Catholic Church in Bab Al-Khalil, earlier than she is buried in Jerusalem’s Mount Zion Cemetery subsequent to her dad and mom.
CNN’s Celine Alkhaldi and Nadeen Ebrahim in Abu Dhabi contributed to this report.