In a democracy like Israel, the struggle for public opinion should not stand in the way of the search for the truth.
The death of Shireen Abu Akleh, one of the most famous journalistic faces in the Arab world, is not only a tragedy for her family and friends, but also a blow to press freedom in Israel and the occupied territories.
Almost immediately after her death, a blatant battle for public opinion ensued: the Palestinian Authority (PA) claimed that Israel deliberately killed the journalist, while Israeli Prime Minister Bennett said “armed Palestinians” were likely responsible. As proof, the Israeli army provided a video, which was soon published by human rights organization B’Tselem . was debunked as nonsense† Israel’s position now is that the fatal bullet may have been “accidentally” fired by the military. The PA maintains that Israel is the culprit.
It is reprehensible that parties should point to a culprit before a thorough (and independent!) investigation has been conducted into the situation. Tensions in the area are already so great, and it is up to all those responsible to calm things down, not to stoke the fire.
In this regard, the Israeli police also made a serious mistake at Abu Akleh’s funeral when they rushed at the bearers of her coffin, beat them up with clubs, and the coffin nearly fell to the ground. Abu Akleh’s body and the people who mourn her deserve to be treated with respect. It is up to the authorities to calm people down, even if rioters are present, not to heat them up – especially at a funeral.
Another concern is that the Israeli military and police are already seriously distrusted when it comes to the safety of Palestinian journalists. And for good reason: in recent years there have been many violent incidents. In each case there has been little or no willingness to investigate these matters, and no formal charges have ever been made.
Of course Israel’s primary duty is to ensure the security of its citizens, but a country that claims to be a democracy must also uphold its own standards and values. In a democracy, journalists must be able to do their work safely, and the ‘battle for public opinion’ must not get in the way of the search for the truth.
The position of the newspaper is expressed in the Volkskrant Commentaar. It is created after a discussion between the commentators and the editor-in-chief.