Al Jazeera refers killing of Shireen Abu Akleh to International Criminal Court

Al Jazeera says it is referring the killing of its reporter Shireen Abu Akleh to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Qatar-based network and the Palestinian Authority have accused Israeli soldiers of deliberately killing the veteran 51-year-old Palestinian-American journalist on May 11th, while she was covering an Israeli military raid in the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank.

The ICC has the power to investigate and prosecute suspected war criminals even though Israel is not a member and does not recognise its authority.

Announcing the findings of a Palestinian Authority investigation into the incident, the Palestinian attorney general said on Thursday “the only shooting was by the occupation forces, with the aim of killing”.

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Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz rejected the findings, saying “any claim that the Israeli army intentionally harms journalists or uninvolved civilians is a blatant lie”.

Israel says it cannot determine whether Palestinian militants or its own soldiers fired the fatal shot unless the PA hands over the bullet that killed Abu Akleh for ballistic analysis. The PA has refused to co-operate with Israel and rejected a joint investigation, saying it does not trust Israel.

Israel also came in for severe international criticism after clashes during Abu Akleh’s funeral in Jerusalem, when police charged mourners carrying Palestinian flags with batons, almost causing the coffin to fall to the ground.

The latest developments came as tensions are high in advance of the march of flags, scheduled to be held on Sunday as one of the events commemorating Jerusalem Day, when Israel marks the anniversary of the capture from Jordan of East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War.

Thousands of Jews — mainly young, religious right-wing nationalists — are expected to take part in the flag-waving procession that will enter Jerusalem Old City’s Muslim quarter via the Damascus gate.

The event, held annually since 1967, is described by the organisers as a celebration of the liberation of Jerusalem but is viewed by Palestinians as a provocation.

Last year, during the march, militants from Gaza launched a salvo of rockets at Jerusalem, in what became the opening shots of an 11-day conflict. The United Nations said 260 Palestinians were killed. At least 12 civilians were killed in Israel, along with one soldier.

After a meeting of the militant factions in the Gaza Strip this week, a state of “enlistment” was announced, with the groups calling on the public in Gaza to “prepare to defend the holy sites” and stand up to “Zionist aggression”.

“We warn the Zionist enemy against doing anything foolish that will allow the flag march to invade al-Aqsa, and underscore that this plan will be a powder keg that will blow up the entire region. Jerusalem and the holy sites are a red line, and our people, with all their power and resistance, will not sit idly by,” the Gaza groups said.

Israeli security forces have gone on high alert in advance of the march, with additional mobile shelters deployed to cities in the south, and an increase in police presence in Jerusalem and other mixed Jewish-Arab cities.

Anti-missile batteries have been deployed close to Gaza and Israel has warned that militant rocket fire will be met a harsh response.

After consultations with security and police officials on Friday, prime minister Naftali Bennett decided that the route of the march will not be altered. Defence officials advised Mr Bennett to stick to the planned route, as any last-minute change would be seen as a sign of weakness on Israel’s part.

“We will hold whatever kind of march we want to in our capital,” said Mr Gantz in a message of warning to Hamas. “You will not threaten our sovereignty.”