Rare fact for a subject concerning Israel, the text was unanimously approved by the UN Security Council. The latter has “strongly condemns the May 11 murder of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and the wounding of another journalist in the West Bank city of Jenin”in a unanimous statement adopted Friday, May 13, according to diplomats.
>> What we know about the death of an Al-Jazeera journalist during an Israeli army operation
Initiated by the United States, this very rare unanimous position also demands “an immediate, thorough, transparent and impartial investigation” about this murder. She emphasizes “the need to guarantee accountability” of its author or authors, according to the text obtained by AFP. According to diplomats speaking on condition of anonymity, the negotiations to achieve the approval of the text were particularly “arduous”.
The text does not mention the clashes that occurred during the funeral
On the other hand, the adopted text does not mention the clashes which occurred on Friday between Israeli police officers and Palestinians during the funeral of the journalist.
China has obtained from the United States the amputation of paragraphs denouncing the abuses committed against the media in the world and defending their freedom and their protection during coverage of military operations, according to diplomatic sources and the different versions of the declaration obtained by AFP during the discussions. The adopted text merely recalls that “journalists should be protected as civilians”.