UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council on Friday night strongly condemned the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and called for “an immediate, thorough, transparent, and fair and impartial investigation.”
A press statement was approved by the 15 council members after language was removed emphasizing the importance of media freedom and the need for journalists working in dangerous areas to be protected at the insistence of China and Russia, diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because discussions were private.
The council statement reiterated “that journalists should be protected as civilians” and also condemned the injury to Abu Akleh’s colleague.
Abu Akleh, 51, was a household name across the Arab world, revered for her coverage of Palestinian life under Israeli rule for the Al Jazeera satellite channel for the last 25 years.
She was shot dead Wednesday during an Israeli military raid in the West Bank town of Jenin. Journalists who were with her, including an Al Jazeera colleague who was shot and wounded, said Israeli forces fired upon them even though they were clearly identifiable as reporters.
Anger at Abu Akleh’s killing escalated Friday when Israeli riot police pushed and beat pallbearers, causing them to briefly drop her casket in a shocking start to her funeral procession. It turned into perhaps the largest display of Palestinian nationalism in Jerusalem in a generation.
Israel says it is investigating the incident. It initially suggested she might have been shot by Palestinian militants, without providing evidence, but has since backtracked. Israel called for a joint investigation with the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the West Bank and cooperates with it on security.
But the Palestinians rejected a joint investigation and demanded an independent international investigation.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas blamed Israel for her killing and said he would immediately ask the International Criminal Court to investigate. The ICC launched an investigation into possible Israeli war crimes over a year ago, a probe Israel has rejected as biased.
The Security Council did not use the word international, calling for an impartial investigation and stressing the need to ensure accountability.
Norway’s UN Ambassador Mona Juul commended the “good collaboration,” calling the protection of journalists a priority for her country.
“We are particularly concerned about the rising trend in attacks on media works, and on women journalists in particular” Juul said in a statement.
![]()
UN condemns killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh
Short Url
https://arab.news/ba6pd
UN condemns killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh
- UN Security Council statement reiterated ‘that journalists should be protected as civilians’
- Shireen Abu Akleh was shot dead Wednesday during an Israeli military raid in the West Bank town of Jenin
Detained French journalist faces deportation from Turkiye
- Raphael Boukandoura, arrested while covering a pro-Kurdish protest in Istanbul is facing the threat of deportation
ISTANBUL: A French journalist arrested while covering a pro-Kurdish protest in Istanbul is facing the threat of deportation from Turkiye and was transferred to a migrant detention center on Wednesday, his lawyer told AFP.
Raphael Boukandoura, who works for various French publications including Liberation and Courrier International was detained late Monday at a protest over a military operation targeting Kurdish fighters in northern Syria.
Boukandoura, 35, has lived legally in Turkiye for at least a decade and holds an official press card.
The journalist was transferred to a detention center for migrants, his lawyer Emine Ozhasar told AFP.
“The file is being registered,” she said, adding that there was no decision made yet and that it might be postponed until Thursday.
Asked if Boukandoura may be deported, the lawyer said: “It’s a possibility.”
The detention sparked fury from the French foreign ministry as well as rights groups.
In a statement to AFP on Tuesday, the French foreign ministry said it hoped Boukandoura would be “freed as quickly as possible,” indicating its diplomats in Turkiye were “closely monitoring the situation.”
At the protest, called by the pro-Kurdish party DEM, party officials called for “an immediate halt to the attacks” and the protection of civilians in northeastern Syria.
Police broke up the protest, arresting 10 people, including Boukandoura.
Two weeks ago, Syrian government troops launched an offensive against Kurdish-led forces — an operation publicly welcomed by Turkiye, despite its own efforts to pursue a peace process with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
According to the rights group MLSA, Boukandoura told police he was present strictly as a journalist and covering the protest for the daily Liberation.
During questioning, police also asked Boukandoura about slogans allegedly chanted during the protest.
He said, according to the MLSA, that he did not chant any slogans and was at the scene solely to report.
Erol Onderoglu of media-rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said the French journalist facing the risk of expulsion was “unacceptable.”
“It is intended to intimidate journalists covering pro-Kurdish protests in Turkiye,” he told AFP.
Liberation, along with Courrier International, Mediapart and Ouest-France — other outlets that have published Boukandoura’s work — all issued statements calling for his immediate release.
Raphael Boukandoura, who works for various French publications including Liberation and Courrier International was detained late Monday at a protest over a military operation targeting Kurdish fighters in northern Syria.
Boukandoura, 35, has lived legally in Turkiye for at least a decade and holds an official press card.
The journalist was transferred to a detention center for migrants, his lawyer Emine Ozhasar told AFP.
“The file is being registered,” she said, adding that there was no decision made yet and that it might be postponed until Thursday.
Asked if Boukandoura may be deported, the lawyer said: “It’s a possibility.”
The detention sparked fury from the French foreign ministry as well as rights groups.
In a statement to AFP on Tuesday, the French foreign ministry said it hoped Boukandoura would be “freed as quickly as possible,” indicating its diplomats in Turkiye were “closely monitoring the situation.”
At the protest, called by the pro-Kurdish party DEM, party officials called for “an immediate halt to the attacks” and the protection of civilians in northeastern Syria.
Police broke up the protest, arresting 10 people, including Boukandoura.
Two weeks ago, Syrian government troops launched an offensive against Kurdish-led forces — an operation publicly welcomed by Turkiye, despite its own efforts to pursue a peace process with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
According to the rights group MLSA, Boukandoura told police he was present strictly as a journalist and covering the protest for the daily Liberation.
During questioning, police also asked Boukandoura about slogans allegedly chanted during the protest.
He said, according to the MLSA, that he did not chant any slogans and was at the scene solely to report.
Erol Onderoglu of media-rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said the French journalist facing the risk of expulsion was “unacceptable.”
“It is intended to intimidate journalists covering pro-Kurdish protests in Turkiye,” he told AFP.
Liberation, along with Courrier International, Mediapart and Ouest-France — other outlets that have published Boukandoura’s work — all issued statements calling for his immediate release.
Latest updates
© 2026 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.