An art exhibit honoring slain Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh (portraits in the foreground) at the spot where she was killed on May 11 while covering an Israeli army raid in Jenin in the occupied West Bank. (Photo by AFP)
United Nations, May 26 (RHC)-- Iran’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Zahra Ershadi says veteran Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was fatally shot by Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank, is another victim of the international community's inaction toward the Tel Aviv regime’s ongoing war crimes and terrorism against Palestinians.
She made the remarks at the United Nations Security Council meeting on the Protection of Journalists in New York on Tuesday. “Veteran Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed in cold blood by occupying forces in Jenin [refugee camp] of the occupied Palestinian territories,” Ershadi said.
Palestine is an Islamic issue, because the political, as Imam Khomeini demonstrated, can be expressed in a non-secular, non-Western grammar, and resistance against the Zionist regime could be articulated in the language of Islam.
The senior Iranian diplomat said that Abu Akleh “was a brave voice for her people and a national symbol of truth and resilience against the oppressive occupation and injustice that Palestinians have endured for so long.”
The assassination of the renowned Palestinian reporter is part of a long war, harassment, intimidation and violence against journalists, and is aimed at covering up the Israeli regime's crimes against Palestinians. It is in flagrant violation of international law and norms, Ershadi noted.
The Iranian UN representative added: “Shireen Abu Akleh is also another victim of the international community's inaction over the Israeli regime's ongoing war crimes and terrorism against Palestinians.”
“We call on the United Nations, particularly the Security Council, to take an immediate action, put an end to the Israeli regime's aggression and impunity, ensure protection of Palestinian people, and hold the regime to account for the highest number of international crimes committed worldwide.”
Ershadi underlined the importance of protecting civilians, including journalists, media professionals and related personnel, in armed conflict. Iran’s UN envoy said: “All parties to an armed conflict must fully comply with their obligations under international law to protect civilians, including journalists."
“Unfortunately, the escalation of violence, intimidation and harassment of journalists in armed conflict in many parts of the world, especially deliberate attacks that violate international humanitarian law, has reached a high point.
“At the same time, immunity from punishment for war crimes committed against journalists in armed conflicts has seriously endangered their security and protection,” the Iranian diplomat noted.
“In this regard, we emphasize the need for stronger UN actions to protect journalists and ensure accountability for crimes committed against them within an armed conflict,” she said.
“We reaffirm our firm position that human rights, including protection of journalists, fall on the responsibility of the General Assembly and other relevant UN bodies, and that the Security Council should only address the matter once it is directly related to international peace and security,” Ershadi concluded.
Akleh, a well-known Palestinian journalist for the Qatar-based and Arabic-language Al Jazeera television news network, was killed earlier this month while covering an Israeli army raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the northern part of the occupied West Bank
In video footage from the incident circulated widely online, Abu Akleh could be seen wearing a blue flak jacket marked with the word “PRESS” when being shot by Israeli troops, exposing the gruesome nature of the daylight murder.
