Israeli government troops assassinated Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, 51, one of the leading figures of Al Jazeera TV network. Yet, Washington and the Western media and governments remain silent in complicity against this unspeakable crime, not only for the murder itself but also for the vicious attack on freedom of the press. Can you imagine how these governments and their dependent press would have reacted if this crime had been committed against a Venezuelan-American journalist in Venezuela? This news would have been the cover of all the newspapers in the West and the subject of all the radio and television programs, denouncing the brutality of the Maduro "regime". But, since the crime was committed by the Israelis, what prevails is silence and concealment of the information. Again, the double standard of the empire!

Shireen Abu Akleh, was shot dead while covering an Israeli army incursion into the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. A Palestinian colleague of the murdered journalist, Ali Samudi, was also attacked by Zionist bullets and was shot in the back, fortunately not causing fatal injuries. The "Israel" Defense Force confirmed that it carried out an operation Wednesday morning in the Jenin refugee camp, but denied that they have shot at journalists present at the scene. However, Israeli army sources assured that there was an exchange of fire on the ground and Defense Minister Benny Gantz himself told the foreign press at night that the army "was not sure how the journalist died. Maybe it was a Palestinian who shot her, the shot could also have come from our side, we are investigating," Gantz said. Nevertheless, one of the photographers from the French news agency AFP said that Israeli forces were firing in the area and that he saw the body of the Al Jazeera reporter on the ground. In addition, he said that there were no armed Palestinians in the area.

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Contrasting melodies at the UN General Assembly

Al Jazeera called on the international community to hold "Israel" responsible for the "intentional" death of the journalist. "In a flagrant murder that violates international laws and norms, the Israeli occupation forces cold-bloodedly murdered the Al Jazeera correspondent in the Palestinian territories," the channel said. Qatari Foreign Minister Lolwah Al Khater said on Twitter that the correspondent was shot "in the face" and called the act "Israeli state terrorism." For its part, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), the autonomous Palestinian government based in the West Bank, described the journalist's death as an "execution" and as part of the Israeli effort to hide the "truth" of its occupation of the West Bank. Unfortunately, it is very unlikely that these protests will find an echo in the Western press, completely controlled by US imperialism and its European lackeys.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid assured that his country wanted to join an "investigation into the sad death of the journalist Shireen Abu Akleh" and stressed that "journalists must be protected in conflict zones", for which "Tel Aviv" has "the responsibility to get to the truth." The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, called for the facts to be investigated by "both parties" in a transparent manner. In a completely hollow speech the diplomatic stressed that the "absolute priority" of the United States is "the protection of American citizens and journalists", something blatantly false. Beautiful words, devoid of any substance because the United States and Western countries have been endorsing the genocidal policies of the state of "Israel" since 1948, and there is nothing to suggest that this policy will be changed in the near future, especially in the context of the Ukrainian war.

For its part, Amnesty International (AI) pointed out that the "increase in unlawful killings" in recent times is one more example of the need to put an end to "Israeli apartheid against the Palestinians." In an unusually harsh public statement, the organization denounced what could be "extrajudicial executions" against Palestinians. It also said that "the murder" of the journalist "is a bloody reminder of the deadly system in which "Israel" locks up Palestinians. "Israel" is killing Palestinians left and right with impunity. How many more must die before the international community acts to hold "Israel" accountable?" questioned AI's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, Saleh Higazi. This statement is in line with a recent declaration by Noam Chomsky, who accused the Israeli government of practicing genocidal policies in Gaza, the largest open-air prison in the world according to his words. The sad culmination of this policy followed by the neo-Nazi government of "Israel" was the scandalous repression that occurred during the funeral of Abu Akleh, which offends the most basic canons of human rights. However, despite these brutal transgressions and "Israel"'s escalation of repression in recent weeks -in which at least 31 people were killed- the American government continues to monolithically support the slaughterers of the Palestinian people.

How long will Washington's double discourse last? How is it that Biden, who claims to be recognized as a champion of human rights, supports a regime like the Israeli one that, since its foundation, has systematically violated the human, social and economic rights of the Palestinians stealing their land, destroying their houses and condemning them to a trickle-down genocide?