Derry politicians condemn killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh

Many councillors  condemned the shooting of Shireen, describing it as ‘atrocious and outrageous’.

People Before Profit Councillor Shaun Harkin raised the matter at the May monthly meeting.

He said: “I’m sure colleagues saw that Shireen Abu Akleh was killed on Wednesday by the Israeli army and this has been condemned across the world.

“I think it again puts the spotlight on apartheid Israel’s permanent war on the Palestinians which doesn’t get the attention that some other conflicts get.

“This goes to the heart of what the problem is. Shireen herself has been working for Al Jazeera for 25 years, this was an IDF raid in the illegally occupied part of Palestine in the West Bank and unfortunately she was killed.

“There will be a full investigation into this but there are accusations she was targeted because she was someone who relentlessly told the truth about what Israel’s occupation of Palestine looks like and that has made her an enemy of the Israeli state.

“Given our council’s corporate position in giving support to the Palestinian people it is important that we take the opportunity to mark the significance of this.

“Obviously our condolences as a council should go to Shireen’s family and friends and all who are dealing with the loss.

“There are no calls for NATO to go in and do something about this, there are no calls from the British government, this will be largely ignored by a lot of governments and I don’t think it is acceptable. I don’t think our council should go along with that, I think we should speak up when there are crimes like this one.”

Adding Sinn Féin’s voice, Councillor Sandra Duffy said: “Watching some of the news outlets as they reported this was heartbreaking but it was so stark some of them didn’t.

“The killing of Shireen Abu Akleh is absolutely outrageous, she was shot in the face whilst doing her job covering an Israeli army attack on a Palestinian refugee camp while clearly wearing the blue flak jacket of Press.

“The international community must hold Israel to account for this barbaric action, it can’t be swept under the carpet.”

SDLP Councillor Rory Farrell echoed the sentiments of the previous speakers saying: “We would like to condemn the cold blooded murder of Shireen. 

“She was wearing a press vest and was targeted by Israeli snipers who shot her in the head. That’s unjustified, unjustifiable, unfathomable, it cannot be allowed. For the Israeli state to behave as normal, nothing to see here, is disgusting.”

DUP Alderman Maurice Devenney offered his party’s condolences to the family also saying: “If it is factual that this lady journalist Shireen had been targeted by anyone it brings to mind one of our local journalists, Lyra McKee when she was murdered, that was cold blooded as well.”

Alliance Councillor Rachael Ferguson described Shireen’s murder as ‘atrocious’ before SDLP Councillor Brian Tierney disassociated himself and his party from Alderman Devenney’s comments.

He stated: “Alderman Devenney said ‘if she was targeted by anyone’. Anyone can see Shireen was deliberately targeted because she was shining a light into very, very dark corners and people knew that. 

“She was very clearly identified as a member of the press and for that reason she was targeted so for me, I do not want to be associated with the word ‘if’ she was targeted because  it is very clear she was.”

Gillian Anderson

Local Democracy Reporter