The killing of Shireen Abu Akleh

Timeline

1. 11 May 2022 · It worked

   Abu Akleh is shot dead near the Jenin refugee camp during an Israeli military operation. The same day Prime Minister Naftali Bennett says "It appears likely that armed Palestinians - who were firing indiscriminately at the time - were responsible for the unfortunate death of the journalist", and the army circulates a video of a Palestinian gunman firing in an alley.

2. 11 May 2022 · Exposed

   The Israeli rights group B'Tselem says the army's account is incorrect: the gunman's firing angle in the video does not match the spot where she was shot.

3. 13 May 2022 · Context

   Israeli police beat mourners and pallbearers at her funeral in Jerusalem, nearly toppling the coffin; Israel said it would review police conduct.

4. 24 May 2022 · Exposed

   CNN's analysis, with eyewitnesses, concludes the shots came from Israeli forces and suggests she was targeted, which the IDF rejects as unfounded. An AP reconstruction the same day lends support to Israeli fire but says a conclusive answer is likely to prove elusive.

5. 12 Jun 2022 · Exposed

   The Washington Post publishes an investigation concluding an Israeli soldier likely fired the shot and finding no exchange of fire at the time.

6. 20 Jun 2022 · Exposed

   The New York Times publishes an investigation concluding the fatal bullet was fired from the position of an Israeli military convoy.

7. 24 Jun 2022 · Exposed

   The UN human rights office says its monitoring found the shots that killed her came from Israeli security forces and not from indiscriminate Palestinian fire, and calls for a criminal investigation.

8. 4 Jul 2022 · Exposed

   After US-overseen forensic testing of the bullet proved inconclusive, the State Department says US officials concluded gunfire from IDF positions was likely responsible, with no reason to believe it was intentional.

9. 5 Sep 2022 · Exposed

   The IDF says it cannot determine unequivocally who fired the shot but there is a "high possibility" she was accidentally hit by IDF gunfire aimed at armed gunmen. The Military Advocate General finds no suspicion of a crime and declines to open a criminal investigation.

10. 14 Nov 2022 · Exposed

    The FBI opens its own investigation into the killing; Israel says it will not cooperate with it.

The first account was given the day she died; the army's own "high possibility" statement came nearly four months later.

“It appears likely that armed Palestinians - who were firing indiscriminately at the time - were responsible for the unfortunate death of the journalist”

The playbook

1. 1

   Win before the facts

   The prime minister named the likely cause on the day of the killing, before any ballistic work, while saying a thorough investigation was needed.

2. 2

   Trusted repeaters

   An official statement and a military-supplied video were carried by news outlets in the first hours, before eyewitnesses and B'Tselem contradicted the video.

3. 3

   Suppress the correction

   After the IDF's own inquiry pointed to its fire, the Military Advocate General declined to open a criminal investigation, so no soldier was held to account.

Through the FATE framework

• Focus5/10

  Attention moved to who fired in a firefight and to the Palestinian refusal to hand over the bullet, away from the soldiers' positions.

• Authority6/10

  A prime minister and the army gave the first account, which outlets carried before independent reconstructions arrived.

• Tribe3/10

  Little tribal framing beyond "armed Palestinians" against the army.

• Emotion5/10

  A US citizen journalist's death and the funeral footage drew intense reaction.

Propaganda techniques used

• Obfuscation/Vagueness
• Doubt

Same playbook today