How a new journalism scholarship aims to keep Shireen Abu Akleh’s legacy alive 

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Updated 12 June 2024
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How a new journalism scholarship aims to keep Shireen Abu Akleh’s legacy alive 

How a new journalism scholarship aims to keep Shireen Abu Akleh’s legacy alive 
  • Palestinian-American reporter was shot dead by an Israeli soldier on May 11, 2022 while covering a raid in the West Bank
  • The Shireen Abu Akleh Foundation will provide ten annual scholarships to aspiring journalists and media professionals

DUBAI: It has been two years since the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. For her niece Lina Abu Akleh, her aunt’s death, which sent shockwaves around the world, “feels like it was just yesterday, but also feels like it was a lifetime ago.” 

On May 11, 2022, the former Al Jazeera reporter was shot dead by an Israeli soldier while covering a raid in a refugee camp in Jenin in the occupied West Bank, despite wearing a distinctive blue flak jacket embossed with the word “press.”

Initially, then-Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett accused Palestinian fighters of shooting Shireen — an allegation that was quickly disproven by independent reports.

At the time, many called Shireen’s death “a black day” not only for Palestine but also for journalism and the wider news industry.




Palestinian mourners carry the casket of slain Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh from a church toward the cemetery, during her funeral procession in Jerusalem, on May 13, 2022. (AFP)

To highlight her important contribution to journalism, and to coincide with the second anniversary of her death, Shireen’s family launched a foundation in her honor devoted to helping young reporters break into the industry.

A central aim of the California-based Shireen Abu Akleh Foundation is to provide ten scholarships on an annual basis for Palestinian and international students who aspire to become journalists and media professionals. 

Under the motto “journalism is not a crime,” the foundation is raising funds and working in collaboration with media outlets and higher education institutions in Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, the UK and Canada to reach top students for scholarship opportunities. 

“We wanted to launch a foundation to honor Shireen’s legacy, empower more journalists who want to continue their education in journalism, but also for people to remember who Shireen was, to remember her story, to remember what she stood for as a Palestinian-American female journalist,” Lina, who is the foundation’s co-founder, told Arab News.

The foundation aims to promote community empowerment by increasing access to education and inclusive spaces for students by connecting them with opportunities in the field of journalism.

It also aims to collaborate with communities to raise funds for students and to amplify public appreciation and recognition of journalistic talent.

Several universities and organizations around the world have already named courses and scholarships after Shireen, including Jordan’s Yarmouk University and Jordan Media Institute, the UK’s University of Exeter, Canada’s Carleton University, the West Bank’s Birzeit University, Lebanon’s American University of Beirut, and even the UN.




A reporter wearing a flak jacket with the hashtag in Arabic, “#Shireen Abu Akleh” takes a picture inside a house that was burnt during an Israeli military raid in the West Bank city of Jenin, on May 13, 2022. (AFP)

The foundation’s mission could not be more relevant today. According to Reporters Without Borders, more than 100 Palestinian journalists, including at least 22 in the line of duty, have been killed by the Israeli army since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel triggered Israel’s retaliatory operation in Gaza.

“I know how discouraging this might be for people out there who want to study journalism. But at the same time, that shouldn’t stand in the way of wanting to study journalism, because there is no truth without journalism,” said Lina, who is herself a journalist.

In 2022, Lina landed a spot in Time Magazine’s “Next 100” List, highlighting emerging personalities in the fields of art, innovation and leadership. Lina says she doesn’t want to be known as an activist but simply as “Shireen’s niece.”

FastFact

  • More than 100 Palestinian journalists, including at least 22 in the line of duty, have been killed by the Israeli army since Oct. 7.

Source: Reporters Without Borders

The two were very close, she says, speaking every day, playing the online game “Wordle,” and enjoying Sunday lunches with family. She remembers her aunt as caring, funny, and thoughtful, despite her demanding job.  

“She was someone very important to me, like a second mother,” said Lina. “She was our support system. She was more like a friend. We relied on her in every way possible. She was always there for me and my siblings and my parents. She always made time for us. 

“We miss having her so much around the table during holidays and celebrations. Nothing has been the same without her.”

In May 2022, immediately after Shireen’s death, the family filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court. In December of the same year, Al Jazeera also filed a formal complaint with the ICC for war crimes.

Four months after the killing, an Israeli army investigation admitted that there was a “high probability” that she had been “accidentally hit” by Israeli fire, while stating that it had no intention of bringing criminal proceedings against the soldiers involved. 

A year later, in May 2023, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari declared the army was “deeply sorry about the death of Shireen Abu Akleh.” 




To highlight her important contribution to journalism, and to coincide with the second anniversary of her death, Shireen’s family launched a foundation in her honor devoted to helping young reporters break into the industry. (Supplied)

Since then, despite several independent investigations proving that an Israeli soldier shot Shireen, who was clearly identified as a news professional, no one has been punished.

Although Shireen was a US citizen, the US Security Coordinator only visited the site of the shooting and did not pursue an independent investigation, basing its conclusions on those of the Israeli army and the Palestinian Authority, as well as a ballistics report. 

A Department of Justice investigation is reportedly still underway.

Meanwhile, the International Press Institute and other press freedom monitors have called on Israel to conduct a credible investigation and to hold those responsible to account. 

They have also urged the ICC to open an investigation into the circumstances of the killing to determine whether it amounts to a war crime under the Rome Statute.




A woman walks past a mural depicting slain Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed while covering an Israeli army raid in Jenin, drawn along Israel’s controversial separation barrier in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank on July 6, 2022. (AFP)

Lina still recalls the phone call from her father in which she learnt of her aunt’s death. 

“Looking back, it’s still heartbreaking and tragic,” she said. “It’s something that until this day I cannot comprehend and process, the fact that we lost Shireen in such a brutal, horrific way.”

On Shireen’s birthday — April 3, 2022 — Lina traveled from the US to Ramallah in the West Bank to spend the Easter weekend with family. 

In early May, there were Israeli incursions into Jenin. Although Shireen was urged by her family to take some time off from work. “She said: ‘I can’t, I have to go,’” Lina recalled. 

“Shireen was very committed to her work. She was very loyal and would have never said no to any sort of deployment.” 




Lina Abu Akleh, the niece of slain Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, sits surrounded by photographs of her late aunt, at the family home in occupied east Jerusalem, on July 13, 2022. (AFP)

Lina and her family could never have imagined the tragedy that would follow, or the global attention that Shireen’s death would attract as they try to privately grieve their loss.

“From the day she was killed, we had numerous reporters inside our house to get a statement from the family,” said Lina. “My father was not at home at that time. He arrived later in the night at about 10 PM. We were still trying to comprehend as we were in a state of shock. 

“I was the one in position who had to take the role of saying something. It was definitely not something I would see myself doing had she not been killed but I felt that Shireen would have stepped up in the moment.”

On May 13, Shireen’s funeral took place in Jerusalem with thousands of mourners in attendance. However, the procession soon descended into chaos when Israeli riot police charged the crowd. 

At one point, Shireen’s casket almost fell on the ground amid the scuffle. Lina says it was one of the most traumatic days of her life.




Shireen’s funeral took place in Jerusalem with thousands of mourners in attendance. However, the procession soon descended into chaos when Israeli riot police charged the crowd. (AFP)

“I always say this: It was the second time they killed Shireen,” she said. “First in Jenin, and then in Jerusalem. The attack on her funeral was beyond horrific. It was a violation to her dignity, to our right as a family to bury and mourn her in peace. But for us, it felt like an attempt to silence her, and it felt like she was reporting on her own funeral.”

However, Lina says she was also moved by the outpouring of love and support that Shireen and her family received from all over the world.

“It gives our family some solace and comfort to know how Shireen was loved, but at the same time, appreciated for the work she’s been doing for the past 25 years,” said Lina.

“It’s something that resonated with so many Palestinians and Arabs around the world, considering how influential, empowering, courageous and brave she was.

“She never viewed herself as a public figure or as a celebrity. She cared for the people. That’s why she chose journalism. I don’t think she would have even imagined she was going to become this icon. It makes me proud.”

 


Investigation finds Meta profiting from ads promoting Israeli settlements in West Bank

Investigation finds Meta profiting from ads promoting Israeli settlements in West Bank
Updated 04 April 2025
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Investigation finds Meta profiting from ads promoting Israeli settlements in West Bank

Investigation finds Meta profiting from ads promoting Israeli settlements in West Bank
  • Ads included listings for property developments, calls for demolition of Palestinian homes, schools, playgrounds, appeals for donations for military equipment to be used in Gaza, Al Jazeera found
  • Allowing such ads might violate international law, legal experts claim

LONDON: Meta has profited from more than 100 advertisements promoting illegal Israeli settlements and far-right settler activity in the occupied West Bank, an investigation by Al Jazeera revealed earlier this week.

The ads include listings for property developments in settlements such as Ariel, located 20 km east of the Green Line, as well as calls for the demolition of Palestinian homes, schools, and playgrounds. Some also solicit donations for Israeli military units operating in Gaza.

One of the most prominent advertisers is a Facebook page called Ramat Aderet, promoting luxury apartments with amenities such as saunas, jacuzzis, and cold plunges. The company, valued at $300 million according to financial data firm PitchBook, has received funding from the First International Bank of Israel.

Another 48 ads were posted by Gabai Real Estate, marketing homes in the West Bank settlements of Ma’ale Adumim and Efrat.

At least 52 of the ads were placed by Israeli real estate firms targeting buyers in Israel, the UK, and the US. Many remain active on Facebook after being published in March 2024, Al Jazeera reported.

Meta defended its ad policies, stating: “We have robust processes and teams to review ads, and our ad review system is designed to review ads before they go live. This system relies primarily on automated technology to apply our advertising standards to the millions of ads that run across our apps, while relying on our teams to build and train these systems and, in some cases, to manually review ads.”

Under international law, all Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal.

Legal experts argue that by failing to take down and profiting from these ads, Meta “becomes complicit in their criminal activity” and could face legal consequences. They also warn that allowing ads soliciting donations for military equipment in Gaza may violate international humanitarian law, as well as Meta’s own policy prohibiting the promotion of “the sale or use of weapons, ammunition, or explosives.”


Report finds Israel’s war on Gaza ‘worst ever conflict’ for journalists

Report finds Israel’s war on Gaza ‘worst ever conflict’ for journalists
Updated 03 April 2025
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Report finds Israel’s war on Gaza ‘worst ever conflict’ for journalists

Report finds Israel’s war on Gaza ‘worst ever conflict’ for journalists
  • The Costs of War project at the Watson Institute for International Studies found that since Oct. 7, 2023, the Gaza war has killed more journalists than all major US wars combined
  • Report warns that increasing threats against journalists not only endanger individuals but also undermine global news coverage, facilitate the creation of ‘news graveyards’

LONDON: A report released Tuesday by the Costs of War project at the Watson Institute for International Studies in the US has found that Israel’s war on Gaza is the “worst ever conflict” for journalists, with at least 208 Palestinian media workers killed since October 2023.

Titled “News Graveyards: How Dangers to War Reporters Endanger the World,” the study examines the toll of war on journalists, as well as broader trends in the US news industry that have weakened international coverage. It highlights how Gaza has seen an unprecedented death toll among journalists, far exceeding that of other conflicts in history.

“Attacks on journalists have exacerbated long term socio-economic shifts that have crippled the global news industry over decades and led to the de-prioritization of international news coverage and the closure of foreign news bureaus,” noted the report.

“Across the globe, the economics of the industry, the violence of war, and coordinated censorship campaigns threaten to turn an increasing number of conflict zones into news graveyards, with Gaza being the most extreme example.”

The Brown University-based nonpartisan research project, which analyzes the human, financial, and political costs of post-9/11 wars, found that “since Oct. 7, 2023, the war in Gaza has killed more journalists than the US Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the post-9/11 war in Afghanistan combined.”

The report also revealed that in 2024, a media worker was killed or murdered every three days worldwide — an increase from 2023’s rate of one every four days—attributed largely to the war in Gaza.

“Most reporters harmed or killed, as is the case in Gaza, are local journalists,” it added.

Late in March, Palestinian journalists Mohammad Mansour, a correspondent for Palestine Today, and Hossam Shabat, a journalist for Al-Jazeera Mubasher, became the latest media workers to be killed in Gaza in Israeli attacks. The Israeli military admitted to killing Shabat, accusing him of being “a terrorist” it had “eliminated.”

The report accuses Israel of mounting “a full-spectrum effort to undermine the free flow of information,” citing the “near-total destruction” of media infrastructure, internet blackouts, misinformation campaigns, and restrictions preventing local journalists from leaving Gaza while barring foreign reporters from entering.

It also underscores the vital role local journalists play in conflict zones, describing them as bearing witness to “the realities and horrors of wars.

“Journalists serve as the eyes and ears of the world, seeking out solid, verifiable information amid a vortex of violence and a welter of rumor, manipulation, misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda,” the report continued.

The study also references Syria’s civil war, where hundreds of journalists were killed by government forces and armed groups. The Syrian Network for Human Rights estimates that 700 journalists and media activists have been killed since the conflict began in 2011.

The Watson Institute report warns that increasing threats against journalists not only endanger individuals but also undermine global news coverage and the “worldwide information ecosystem.”

“The decreasing number of experienced foreign correspondents in conflict zones, due to long term shifts in the global news industry that have led to the de-prioritization of international news coverage and the closure of foreign news bureaus, has likewise crippled critical knowledge and helped facilitate the creation of news graveyards,” said the report.


Israel’s military faces backlash over AI ‘Ghibli-style’ social media posts

Israel’s military faces backlash over AI ‘Ghibli-style’ social media posts
Updated 04 April 2025
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Israel’s military faces backlash over AI ‘Ghibli-style’ social media posts

Israel’s military faces backlash over AI ‘Ghibli-style’ social media posts
  • Attempt to jump on trend of posting AI-generated images in style of famed Japanese animation studio

LONDON: An attempt by the Israeli military to jump on the bandwagon of a social media trend that uses AI-generated images in the style of a legendary Japanese animation studio has spectacularly backfired.

The internet has been flooded by images in the style of Studio Ghibli after ChatGPT maker OpenAI launched a new image generator last week.

The craze has intensified debate over the extent to which artificial intelligence models breach copyright of artists. It also contrasts the painstaking work that goes into meticulously crafting the beautiful hand-drawn films produced by Studio Ghibli with the instant gratification culture fed by social media and the emergence of AI models.

Not wanting to be left out, the Israel Defense Forces on Sunday posted four images depicting different branches of its military in the Ghibli style on its social media accounts.

“We thought we’d also hop on the trend,” the post said.

 

 

What followed was a barrage of responses, many angry, many humorous, denouncing and mocking the post.

The images were shared as Israel intensified the bombing of Gaza where it has already killed more than 50,000 Palestinians and forced the population to flee their homes in an action it began in October 2023.

Many responded with AI-generated images in the Ghibli style on X that depicted Israeli brutality in the Palestinian territory.

The counter-images depicted Israeli soldiers mocking a blindfolded and handcuffed Palestinian child, and IDF troops pointing rifles at women and children against a backdrop of devastation.

“Colonizing art too,” read one reply in reference to Israel’s building of illegal settlements and its occupation of Palestinian land.

Other users pointed out that Hayao Miyazaki, the co-founder of Studio Ghibli, is a staunch pacifist and that many of his films contain strong anti-war messages.

He famously refused to travel to the US in 2003 to attend the Academy Awards where his work “Spirited Away” won an Oscar.

A video from 2016 appears to show Miyazaki’s disdain for AI-generated imagery. A clip from a documentary shows Miyazaki saying he was “utterly disgusted” after seeing an AI demo.


Netflix expands language support on TV in accessibility push

Netflix expands language support on TV in accessibility push
Updated 02 April 2025
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Netflix expands language support on TV in accessibility push

Netflix expands language support on TV in accessibility push
  • Users are now able to access all available dubbing and subtitle options for any title, Netflix told Arab News ahead of the launch
  • “Update responds to thousands of language availability requests per month,” Netflix said

LONDON: Netflix is expanding its language support on TV, allowing users to access all available dubbing and subtitle options for any title, the company told Arab News exclusively ahead of the official announcement on Tuesday.

“As more of our members enjoy shows and films from around the world — nearly a third of all viewing on Netflix is for non-English stories — subtitles and dubbing are more important than ever,” the company said in a statement shared with Arab News ahead of the official announcement.

“That’s why starting today, you’ll be able to pick from the full list of available languages for any title when watching Netflix on your TV.”

Previously, users were limited to five to seven languages based on their settings and location. The update — which make dubbing available in 36 languages and subtitles in 33, depending on the title — responds to “thousands of language availability requests per month,” Netflix said, adding that it also benefits users learning a new language by giving them more control over their viewing experience.

“We offer several additional features to support language learning, including the ability to customize subtitles, and the ‘browse by language’ feature on PC computers. These helpful features enhance the accessibility of our shows and movies, while supporting those set on being multilingual,” the statement said.

A 2020 study commissioned by Netflix in partnership with the UN World Commission found that 36 percent of people who watched Spanish-language content were interested in learning the language, compared to 15 percent of non-viewers.

In recent years, Netflix has expanded its non-English content strategy, investing in films and series from various countries and languages. Korean and Spanish content together accounted for 16 percent of global viewership in the first half of 2024, with “Squid Game” and “Money Heist” (“La Casa de Papel”) serving as standout examples.

Netflix is set to release four Arabic-language original series and films this year, following the success of “The Exchange,” “Al-Rawabi School for Girls,” “Honeymoonish,” “From the Ashes” and “Dubai Bling.”


US State Department orders enhanced social media screening for student and visa applicants

US State Department orders enhanced social media screening for student and visa applicants
Updated 02 April 2025
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US State Department orders enhanced social media screening for student and visa applicants

US State Department orders enhanced social media screening for student and visa applicants

DUBAI: The US State Department has ordered overseas officials to scour the social media accounts of some student and exchange visitor visa applicants in a bid to stop critics of the US and Israel from entering the country, say media reports.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent out a 1,700-word cable on March 25 titled “Action Request: Enhanced Screening and Social Media Vetting for Visa Applicants.” It described the process foreign service officers abroad must follow when reviewing student and exchange visitor visa applications.

Independent news site The Handbasket, which broke the story, said the cable asked consular officers to refer certain applicants to the Fraud Prevention Unit for a mandatory social media check. The enhanced vetting applies to those suspected of having terrorist ties or sympathies, those who held a student or exchange visa between Oct. 7, 2023, and Aug. 31, 2024, and those who have had a visa terminated since Oct. 7, 2023.

A State Department employee told the media outlet it was “pretty clear the immediate target is anyone who participated in pro-Palestinian protests — one of the triggers for social media screening is having been in the US on one of these visas between Oct. 7 and the end of last August.”

The cable states that, during the screening, officers “MUST ADDRESS any derogatory information indicating that a visa applicant may be subject to the terrorism-related ineligibility grounds of the Immigration and Nationality Act,” which includes “advocating for, sympathizing with, or persuading others to endorse or espouse terrorist activities or support a DESIGNATED FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.”

It also contains some broader guidance. One section suggests a student visa applicant does not necessarily need to express explicit support for terrorist activity in order to be denied as long as they demonstrate “a degree of public approval or public advocacy for terrorist activity or a terrorist organization.” 

This could be evident in “conduct that bears a hostile attitude toward US citizens or US culture” or in “advocacy or sympathy for foreign terrorist organizations.”

“All of these matters may open lines of inquiry regarding the applicant’s credibility and purpose of travel,” the cable states.

Some directives are somewhat vague — perhaps intentionally, so they can be applied in whichever way is required, the State Department employee told The Handbasket.

The cable also cites a quote from Rubio’s interview with CBS on March 16: “We don’t want people in our country that are going to be committing crimes and undermining our national security or the public safety. It’s that simple. Especially people that are here as guests. That is what a visa is ...  It is a visitor into our country. And if you violate the terms of your visitation, you are going to leave.”

Since taking up his role in January, Rubio has revoked at least 300 visas awarded to students, visitors and others. Last Thursday, he told the media he had signed letters on a daily basis. He refused to comment on how the cases came before him, but said he reviewed each one personally.

“If they’re taking activities that are counter to our national interest, to our foreign policy, we’ll revoke the visa,” he said.

Rubio added that a visa holder charged with a crime while in the US should automatically lose their permission to be in the US. Permanent residents, or green card holders, are not exempt from additional scrutiny and could also lose their status.

Last month, Rubio signed off on revoking the PR status of Syrian-born Mahmoud Khalil and Yunseo Chung, of South Korea, both of whom were involved in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.

Khalil, who is married to a US citizen, was seized from his home by immigration agents and taken to a detention center in Louisiana. Chung has been in the US since the age of seven.