Perfect Victims: And the Politics of Appeal

Chapter 3 opens with the fatal shooting of Shireen Abu Akleh, a 51‑year‑old Al Jazeera correspondent, during an Israeli military raid on the Jenin refugee camp on May 11th, 2022. While several independent investigations—including those by CNN and the UN—concluded that she was likely killed by Israeli fire, the Israeli government initially denied responsibility, and conflicting narratives circulated widely. 

El‑Kurd recalls watching footage of her death live on his phone while traveling to the airport, and describes the immediate sense that “the world would stand still” (45) at losing such a familiar presence. Within minutes of the news breaking, he received an urgent email instructing him to publicize her American citizenship—“an American journalist” (46)—to generate broader outrage. He refused to reduce her identity to a passport, insisting instead that her death mattered regardless of nationality.

Despite the email’s well‑meaning intent, El‑Kurd highlights its underlying logic: Certain citizenships confer worthiness. He contrasts Shireen’s global resonance with the muted response to Ghofran Warasneh, a Hebron reporter killed three weeks later, whose death barely registered beyond local news. He further invokes the cases of Rachel Corrie, Omar As’ad, and Yusef Sha’ban—each seeking American ties or foreign backing to garner attention—and questions what tangible justice or protection such affiliations ultimately deliver.