An inspiration for all

Ichose journalism to be close to the people, Shireen Abu Akleh had said in one of her earlier videos. “It might not be easy to change the reality, but at least I could bring their voice to the world.” The fearless Palestinian Al Jazeera journalist who was killed by Israeli forces on Wednesday, was a veteran television correspondent who became a household name across the Arab world for her bold , yet candid, coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for many years.

A native of Jerusalem and a citizen of the United States, Shireen, 51, is survived by her brother, Tony Abu Akleh, an obituary published in www.aljazeera.com stated.

Friends and colleagues described Shireen as a brave and kind reporter with an 'infectious laugh' who gave voice to the struggles of Palestinians over a career spanning nearly three decades.

“Our loss is so huge,” said Nida Ibrahim, an Al Jazeera correspondent and colleague of Shireen in the occupied West Bank. “She was kind, dedicated and devoted. She knew the story through and through and she understood the nuances. She brought a wealth of information to her reporting.”

Speaking through tears, Ibrahim described her as a unique human being who was very well known, but modest and committed to her profession. At the time of her death, Shireen had been learning Hebrew in order to understand Israeli media narratives better, and had just finished a diploma in digital media, Ibrahim said.

“She’s not only someone who was a veteran, who’s been here covering the story for years, but also someone who was eager to keep learning and keep reporting using new means.”

NIDA IBRAHIM

Born in Jerusalem in 1971, Shireen, who was a Christian, initially studied architecture before switching to journalism at Yarmouk University in Jordan. After graduating, she returned to Palestine and worked for several media outlets, including Voice of Palestine Radio and the Amman Satellite Channel. She joined Al Jazeera Media Network a year after it was launched in 1996, as one of the Qatar-based Arabic-language network’s first field correspondents and gained fame for her coverage of the second Palestinian Intifada in 2000.

As a television journalist, Shireen covered events big and small, from the Gaza wars of 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014 and 2021 to the daring jailbreak of six Palestinians who escaped a maximum-security prison in northern Israel last September. She also covered regional news, including the war in Lebanon in 2006.

“Shireen was a trailblazer, an inspiration for us all,” said Dalia Hatuqa, an Al Jazeera journalist who was a close friend of Shireen, “Her presence became synonymous with Al Jazeera.”

During the height of the second Intifada, Hatuqa recalled Israeli soldiers going around the Palestine city of Ramallah and 'mimicking her, shouting from a bullhorn her famous closing lines: Shireen Abu Akleh, Al Jazeera, Ramallah'.

To her friends though, Shireen was far more than the face of Al Jazeera in Palestine.

“She had an infectious laugh. She loved to travel, see the world, shop, party,” Hatuqa said. “She lost her mother and father when she was very young and saw so much cruelty in the world, especially in Palestine, but that never stopped her from appreciating and enjoying life.”

She added, “Her voice was so beautiful, even when she was telling heart-breaking stories.”

Tamer al Meshal, who was working with Shireen at the time of her killing, called her a 'model' for both, Palestinian and Arab journalists. “Till the very last second, she was professional and persevering in her work,” he said.

“The last message Shireen Abu Akleh had sent to Al Jazeera was via email at 6:13am in which she wrote: ‘Occupation forces storm Jenin and besiege a house in the Jabriyat neighbourhood. On the way there, I will bring you news as soon as the picture becomes clear.’ We and the viewers did not know that this news she sent would (eventually) be the news of her martyrdom,” he mourned.

She was kind, dedicated and devoted. She knew the story through and through and she understood the nuances. She brought a wealth of information to her reporting