Crescent International
Zionist occupation forces shot and killed another Palestinian journalist, 31-year-old Ghufran Haroun Hamed Warasneh today.
She was shot at the entrance to al-Arroub refugee camp on the West Bank.
Below is a tweet from Quds News Network
"Israeli occupation forces shot and killed 31-year-old ex-detainee in Israeli prisons, Ghufran Warasna, earlier today, at the entrance of Al-Arroub refugee camp in the southern occupied West Bank."
She had just joined a Palestinian radio station to report on Israeli crimes against her people.
In identifying the victim, the Palestinian Health Ministry said that the bullet entered her body through her chest from the left and exited on the right side.
As is now customary, the zionist occupiers prevented the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) medical staff from attending to Ghufran.
For 20 minutes, the PRCS medics pleaded in vain with the zionist occupation forces to let them provide medical aid.
The zionist occupiers refused and pointing their guns at the PRCS medical staff, they threatened to shoot them as well.
The zionists’ intent was to murder Ghufran who had previously served time in Israeli torture chambers (aka prisons).
She was accused of participating in resistance activities as well as exposing Israeli crimes.
After bleeding in the street for 20 minutes, Ghufran was transferred to Ahli hospital by the PRCS staff where she was pronounced dead.
The zionists alleged that Ghufran had attempted to stab an Israeli soldier with a knife.
Her family and colleagues denied the allegation saying she was standing more than two meters away from the soldiers when she was shot and killed.
No soldier was injured, much less killed, yet another female Palestinian journalist was shot and killed in cold blood within three weeks.
This is what the zionists have been doing as a matter of routine.
On May 11, Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed outside Jenin refugee camp.
Paramedics were prevented from reaching her as well.
And like Abu Akleh’s case, Ghufran Warasneh’s funeral procession was also attacked by Israeli troops.
The zionists attempted to prevent the mourners from entering Al-Arroub refugee camp but they were able to force their way in because there were many of them.
People under occupation have an inalienable right, recognized in International Law, to resist their occupiers “by whatever means necessary”.
Ghufran was merely exercising her right to expose Israeli crimes against her people.
While the zionist occupiers have a long history of shooting and killing Palestinians, including women and children, in recent weeks such attacks have escalated.
This is the result of two contradictory zionist attitudes.
One reflects their brazenness to do anything they want, aware that there would be no consequences for their crimes.
The western world that is quick to denounce even minor infractions of their opponents, turns a blind eye to repeated Israeli crimes.
One can imagine the uproar if a Palestinian had shot and killed an Israeli female journalist.
The second attitude springs from a growing fear among Israelis that they are no longer safe.
This is the result of increasingly bold operations by Palestinians who are aware that if they have to be die under Israeli gunfire, they should take some of the occupiers with them.
Even at the broader level, Israeli crimes are now being highlighted and condemned.
The apartheid nature of Israel has been exposed by Amnesty International as well as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in its annual report into human rights violations in Palestine and other occupied Palestinian territories.
There been similar findings of Israeli “apartheid” by Human Rights Watch, Al-Haq, Al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights, and Israeli human rights organizations B’Tselem, Yesh Din, and many other international and regional human rights organizations.
Some US Congress members have also drawn attention to escalating Israeli crimes.
Last year, the International Criminal Court (ICC) called for opening an investigation into Israeli war crimes, especially relating to its attack on Gaza in 2014.
The execution-style killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on May 11 received worldwide attention and condemnation.
Her murder as well as that of other Palestinian journalists has been added to the list of Israeli crimes to be investigated.
While nothing can be expected from the ICC whose operations are tightly controlled by western imperialist powers, the fact that Israeli crimes are now being talked about is a positive development.
Ghufran’s murder must be avenged.
She was a courageous struggler for Palestinian rights.
Her sacrifice must not be forgotten.
