Al Jazeera Files Suit at International Criminal Court over Journalist’s Killing

Exterior view of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022, where Al Jazeera presented a letter requesting a formal investigation into the fatal shototing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. (AP)
Exterior view of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022, where Al Jazeera presented a letter requesting a formal investigation into the fatal shototing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. (AP)
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Al Jazeera Files Suit at International Criminal Court over Journalist’s Killing

Exterior view of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022, where Al Jazeera presented a letter requesting a formal investigation into the fatal shototing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. (AP)
Exterior view of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022, where Al Jazeera presented a letter requesting a formal investigation into the fatal shototing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. (AP)

Al Jazeera on Tuesday said it has submitted to the International Criminal Court the case of the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot during an Israeli raid in the West Bank in May. 

The submission followed an investigation by the television news network's legal team, Al Jazeera said on Twitter. 

The ICC must identify the individuals who were directly involved Abu Akleh's killing, Al Jazeera lawyer Rodney Dixon KC told a news conference in The Hague on Tuesday. 

"The rulings of the International Criminal Court stipulate that those responsible be investigated and held accountable. Otherwise, they bear the same responsibility as if they were the ones who opened fire," Dixon said. 

The circumstances of Abu Akleh's killing are disputed. 

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said on Tuesday that no one would question Israeli soldiers. 

"No one will interrogate Israeli soldiers and no one will preach to us about morals of combat, certainly not the Al Jazeera network," Lapid said. 



France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
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France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)

Paris declined to comment on Algeria’s “strong condemnation” of the French government’s decision to recognize Morocco’s claim over the Sahara.

The office of the French Foreign Ministry refused to respond to an AFP request for a comment on the Algeria’s stance.

It did say that further comments could impact the trip Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is set to make to France in late September or early October.

The visit has been postponed on numerous occasions over disagreements between the two countries.

France had explicitly expressed its constant and clear support for the autonomy rule proposal over the Sahara during Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne’s visit to Morocco in February, reported AFP.

The position has helped improve ties between Rabat and Paris.

On Thursday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry expressed “great regret and strong denunciation" about the French government's decision to recognize an autonomy plan for the Western Sahara region "within Moroccan sovereignty”.

Algeria was informed of the decision by France in recent days, an Algerian foreign ministry statement added.

The ministry also said Algeria would draw all the consequences from the decision and hold the French government alone completely responsible.