Skip to content Skip to footer

Sanders Condemns Israeli Forces for Attack on Slain Journalist’s Funeral

Several other progressive lawmakers joined calls for an independent investigation into the murder of Shireen Abu Akleh.

Sen. Bernie Sanders asks questions during a hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on March 30, 2022, in Washington, D.C.

Sen. Bernie Sanders on Friday called the attack on the funeral procession of slain journalist Shireen Abu Akleh that took place earlier in the day “an outrage” that must be condemnation by the U.S. government as he also called for an investigation into the killing.

Friday’s attack was described as “horrific” and “grotesque” across the world after footage emerged of Israeli Defense Forces and security personnel hitting and otherwise assaulting the pallbearers of Abu Akleh’s coffin and other mourners as they made their way through the streets of occupied East Jerusalem.

“The attack by Israeli forces against mourners at the funeral of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is an outrage,” Sanders tweeted Friday afternoon. “The United States must condemn this, and demand an independent investigation into her killing.”

Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) were among the other U.S. lawmakers who condemned both the attack on mourners and demanded answers about the killing Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian-American journalist who had covered the Israel-Palestinian conflict for decades.

Tlaib said the attack on the funeral was the work of Israel’s “brutal apartheid government” while Omar said the incident was “just cruel.”

“This is sickening,” Tlaib said in a tweet responding to footage of the behavior of the Israeli forces. “Violent racism, enabled by $3.8 billion in unconditional military U.S. funds. For the Israeli apartheid govt, Shireen’s life didn’t matter — and her dehumanization continues after death.” She further called on the U.S. State Department to “condemn this horror,” but then asked: “Or does being Palestinian make you less American?”

“We must have an independent investigation into the killing of renowned Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh,” said Khanna on Friday. “Once again I extend my deepest condolences to her family and all those mourning her loss.”

Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One

Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.

Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.

Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.

As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.

And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.

In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.

We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.

We urgently need your help to prepare. As you know, our December fundraiser is our most important of the year and will determine the scale of work we’ll be able to do in 2025. We’ve set two goals: to raise $93,000 in one-time donations and to add 1295 new monthly donors by midnight on December 31.

Today, we’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.

If you have the means to make a substantial gift, please dig deep during this critical time!

With gratitude and resolve,

Maya, Negin, Saima, and Ziggy