Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
E-mail: pchr@pchrgaza.org
Web-page: http://www.pchrgaza.org/
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“ Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this
right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek,
receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless
of frontiers.”
(Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.)
“Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right
shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas
of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing, or print,
in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.”
(Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
of 1966)
“Journalists engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of
armed conflict shall be considered as civilians … They shall be protected
as such under the Conventions and this protocol, provided that they take
no action adversely affecting their status as civilians…”
(Article 79 of Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12
August 1949 ‘Protocol 1.’)
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Introduction:
Since the outbreak of what has come to be known as "Al-Aqsa Intifada,"
journalists and reporters of local and international press agencies have
not been immune to blatant violations perpetrated by the Israeli occupation
forces against defenseless Palestinian civilians. Many of these journalists,
especially photographers and cameramen who were covering the incidents
of Al-Aqsa Intifada, were chased, intimidated and shot by the Israeli occupation
forces. Shooting at international and local journalists and reporters,
to hinder their covering of these incidents, has become a prominent aspect
of a policy adopted by the Israeli occupation forces, which aims at hiding
their crimes and killings against defenseless Palestinian civilians.
These particular actions escalated after waves of criticism directed at
the Israeli government by the international community and public opinion.
Million of people watched on television stations the willful cold-blooded
killing of Palestinian children and young men by the Israeli occupation
forces, especially the assassination of the child Mohammed Al-Durreh at
Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction in the Gaza Strip. This child was
assassinated before the eyes of the world, as a brave journalist covered
it for all television stations in the world. This crime has shaken
all human feelings, and has revealed the real face of a racist and inhumane
occupation.
Despite the consensus of the international community that journalists
must be protected while carrying out their duties, the Israeli occupation
forces, on several occasions willfully shot at them while they were covering
clashes of Al-Aqsa Intifada, in a blatant violation of relevant international
conventions and law. These practices come as a tangible expression
of slighting international law and international humanitarian law by the
Israeli occupation forces. These laws ensure, inter alia, the protection
of journalists and the right to receive and impart information as preconditions
to implementing the right to a free press. The following section
surveys significant practices by the Israeli occupation forces against
journalists since the outbreak of clashes between Palestinian civilians
and the Israeli occupation forces.
Israeli Practices against Journalists:
Israeli occupation forces shot at journalists and staff of international and local press agencies on several occasions during the period of September 28-November 20, 2000. These shootings are summarized below.
? On September 29, 2000:
A unit of the Israeli occupation forces beat the journalist Khaled
Abu Akar, correspondent of France 2 and correspondent of The New York Times,
when he was covering clashes between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli
occupation forces inside Al-Haram Al-Sharif (the Holy Sanctuary).
The incident took place when Abu Akar refused to hand a rubber-coated metal
bullet he found on the ground to an Israeli soldier. Israeli soldiers
started to beat the mentioned journalist with sticks. On the same
day, while he was covering the same clashes, the journalist Mahfouzh Abu
Turk, a cameraman of France 2, was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet
in the left side, shot by the Israeli occupation forces inside Al-Haram
Al-Sharif. This incident took place while Abu Turk was photographing
clashes between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces
from behind a stone bar inside Al-Haram Al-Sharif. Soldiers of the
Israeli occupation forces also beat journalist Khaled Zaghri, a photographer
of Reuters, while he was covering the same clashes. The journalist
Hazem Bader, a photographer of the Associated Press, was wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the right eye. Soldiers of the Israeli
occupation forces also beat Awadh Awadh, a photographer of Agence France
Presse, and tried to break his photography equipment, while he was covering
the same clashes.
In Hebron, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Aamer El-Jabari, a reporter of NBC, wounding him with a bullet in the head, while he was covering clashes between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces. The wounded reporter was evacuated to Hadasa hospital. The Israeli occupation forces also shot at Naji Dana, a cameraman of France 2, wounding him with a rubber-coated metal bullet, while he was covering the same clashes. The Israeli occupation forces beat Luai Abu Haikal, a reporter of Reuters, and wounded Wael El-Shiokhi, an independent journalist, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the side. Read Awadh, a cameraman of the Palestinian television channel Watan, was wounded by a bullet in the foot.
Rami Noufal, a reprter of the Palestinian Broadcasting Station, was beaten by Israeli occupation troops at a roadblock stationed by these troops in Bethlehem.
In Gaza, the Israeli occupation forces beat Wafiq Mattar, a journalist of the Palestinian Political Steering Bueau, injuring him in several parts of the body.
? On September 30, 2000:
The Southern Commander of the Israeli army Yom Tov Samia, issue a decision
preventing all those of Israeli nationality, including journalists and
reporters, from entering the areas of the Palestinian National Authority.
This decision aimed at hiding facts about what was taking place in the
occupied Palestinian territories, and preventing Arab citizens in Israel
from learning what was going on there.
Mouaffaq Turki Qassem Mattar, 46 years old, a photographer of Falasteen Al-Yawm (Palestine Today) Press in Ramallah, was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head, while he was covering clashes between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces near Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction to the south of Gaza City.
? On October 2, 2000:
The car of Mawan El-Ghoul, a cameraman of CBC, and director of Mayadin
Company for Media and Television Production, was shelled by an Israeli
combat helicopter. It was completely destroyed. This incident
took place near Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction in the Gaza Strip, while
El-Ghoul was covering clashes between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli
occupation forces. El-Ghoul stated that his car was distinguished
from all cars in the area as a press car by identifying signs in Arabic
and English. Inside the car, there was photography equipment estimated
to be valued at no less than US$ 20,000.
Hazem Bader, a photographer of the Associated Press, was wounded with a live bullet in the right hand, shot by the Israeli occupation forces, while he was covering clashes between Palestinian civilians and these forces inside Al-Haram Al-Sharif.
Israeli occupation troops shot at Mazen Dana, a photographer of Reuters, wounding him with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right leg, while he was covering clashes between the Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces in El-Shallala street in Hebron.
? On October 4, 2000:
Atta Oweisat, a photographer of Zoom 77 press agency, was beaten and
humiliated by Israeli occupation troops, while he was covering a funeral
procession of a Palestinian martyr, Mohammed El-Sarkhi, in the village
of Jabal El-Mukabber near Jerusalem. Oweisat stated that a group
of seven Israeli soldiers attacked him, forced him to lie down and started
hitting him in the stomach and neck. As a result, he fainted and
was evacuated to hospital. He left hospital on the same day.
? On October 9, 2000:
Israeli occupation troops shot rubber-coated metal bullets at Luce
Delahye, a photographer of Newsweek, hitting and damaging the lens of his
camera. The incident took place while he was covering clashes between
Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces in Ramallah.
A week later, in the same city, Delahye was wounded by a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the forehead, while he was photographing a young Palestinian
man who had been wounded by a live bullet in the head during clashes between
Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces.
? On October 14, 2000:
The car of journalists Hssan El-Titi and Abdel-Rahman Qousini, of the
Associated Press, was attacked by Jewish settlers near the village of Hawwara
near Nablus. The front part of the car and its glass were crushed.
? On October 17, 2000:
For the second time, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Mahfouzh Abu Turk, a photographer of Reuters, wounding him with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the hand. This incident took place while Abu Turk was covering clashes between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces in Bethlehem after a funeral procession of a Palestinian martyr. Abu Turk was evacuated to Beit Jala hospital for treatment and left the hospital on the same day.
? On October 18, 2000:
Israeli occupation troops shot at Patrick Baz, a photographer of France Press, wounding him with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the hand. This incident took place while he was covering clashes between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces in Ramallah. Eyewitnesses asserted that Baz was with another photographer and was wearing a helmet and a bulletproof vest, and that it was clear that he was a journalist photographing clashes between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces.
? On October 20, 2000:
Israeli occupation forces shot at Abdel-Rahman El-Khatib, a photographer of Al-Ayyam daily local newspaper, wounding him with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the mouth. This incident took place while El-Khatib was covering clashes between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces near a military post of the Israeli occupation forces known as “Al-Nouria,” to the west of the refugee camp of Khan Yunis. El-Khatib informed PCHR that on Friday, October 20, 2000, while he was photographing clashes between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces near Neve Dekalim settlement from behind a big stone, he was shot with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the mouth by the Israeli occupation forces. Following this, El-Khatib was evacuated to hospital where physicians found an injury in the upper lip, and a break in the right part of the upper teeth.
Hammed Eghbareya, director of Sawt Al-Haq Walhorreya (the Voice of Right and Freedom) in Nazareth, was attacked by Israeli police and border guards while he was covering clashes between them and Arab citizens. Israeli troops shot at Mahfouzh Abu Turk, a journalist from Jerusalem, wounding him with a bullet in the shoulder.
? On October 21, 2000:
Jacques-Marie Bourget, a reporter of Paris Match, was wounded with
a live bullet in the left lung shot by the Israeli occupation forces, while
he was covering clashes between these forces and Palestinian civilians
in Ramallah. Bourget was evacuated to Ramallah governmental hospital
in serious condition before being transferred to Paris for treatment.
Thierry Esch, a photographer for the same magazine, who was behind Bourget,
stated to his magazine that there was no doubt that it was Israeli occupation
troops that shot Bourget. Patrick Jarnoux, an editor of the same
magazine, stated to The Toronto Star, that based on the place where Bourget
was, no one could hurt him except those who were in front of him -- namely,
the Israeli occupation troops.
Israeli occupation troops shot at Bruno Stephen, an independent photographer of the French Liberation and the German Stern, and nearly wounded him in the throat. This incident took place while Stephen was covering clashes. During the same clashes, another two journalists were moderately to seriously wounded. They are: Ibrahim Al-Hosari, of Watan Television Channel, who was wounded with a bullet in the ear; and Jamal Aarori, a photographer of Al-Ayyam daily local newspaper, who was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the hand.
? On October 23, 2000:
The Israeli occupation forces prevented the access of Nasser Shiokhi,
a correspondent and a photographer of Associated Press, to the village
of Al-Sammoua near Hebron. He was attempting to cover clashes taking
place at the time between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation
forces. These forces also confiscated his press identity card.
? On October 24, 2000:
Jewish settlers near the village of Hawwara in Nablus attacked the
car of Abdel-Rahman Khbeisa, a photographer of the Associated Press, with
a huge rock that could easily have killed him. Khbeisa stated that
he was surprised by a huge stone that weighed about 10 kilograms being
thrown at his car from a blue Subaru of Jewish settlers. The front
of his car and the front glass were hit. He miraculously escaped
death as he was driving his car at high speed and the stone was huge.
This incident took place in front of a feed factory at the entrance of
the village of Hawwara, while Khbeisa was on his way to work.
? On October 29, 2000:
Israeli occupation troops shot at three journalists who were travelling
by car to Jericho hospital to see patients who were wounded during clashes
between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces in the
refugee camp of Aqbat Jaber near Jericho. They journalists are:
1) Aadel Abu Abu Naeima, a correspondent of Al-Ayyam daily local newspaper
and Reuters;
2) Fathi Brahma, a correspondent of Sawt Fasteen (Voice of Palestine);
and
3) Emad Abu Sonbol, a correspondent of Al-Hayat Al-Jadida daily local
newspaper and France Press.
It is worth mentioning that none of the above-mentioned journalists
were hurt.
? On October 31, 2000:
The Israeli occupation forces shot at Ben Wedeman, 41 years old, an
American, and a correspondent of CNN, wounding him with a live bullet in
the right side. He was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital. This incident
took place near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, when Wedeman was covering clashes
between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces.
Eyewitnesses asserted that Wedeman was wearing a helmet and a bulletproof
vest. They added that the situation in the area was relatively calm,
but it escalated when the Israeli occupation forces started to shoot intensively
and "walk" tank shells in the direction of Wedeman and other journalists.
Wedeman was forced to lie down to escape the shooting. A few minutes
after the shooting started, and while he was trying to stand up with his
back opposite to the Israeli occupation forces, he was wounded with a live
bullet in the right side, and then was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital.
Two hours earlier, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Sams Oudetallah, a cameraman of Reuters, but he was not injured. He ran from the area, leaving his equipment behind.
On the same day, the Israeli occupation forces arrested Suleiman Al-Shafe’i, a correspondent of Israeli television channel 2, at Erez Checkpoint, while he was on his way from Gaza to Israel. Soldiers of the Israeli occupation forces informed Al-Shafe’iy that he was in violation of the military orders that prohibited Israeli citizens from entering the occupied Palestinian territories.
? On November 9, 2000:
The Israeli occupation forces shot at French journalist Robers Laubrant,
a correspondent of Associated Press, wounding him with a live bullet in
the thigh. He was evacuated to hospital. This incident took
place while Laubrant was covering clashes between Palestinian civilians
and the Israeli occupation forces near Al-Tuffah roadblock, between Khan
Yunis city and Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area, under the control of the
Israeli occupation forces.
? On November 11, 2000:
The Israeli occupation forces shot at American journalist Jaula Monakov,
37 years old, a correspondent of the Associated Press, wounding her with
two live bullets in the pelvis and the bladder. This incident took
place while she was covering clashes between Palestinian civilians and
the Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of Bilal Ben Rabah mosque
in Bethlehem.
On the same day, the car of journalist Marwan El-Ghoul was shot at for the second time by the Israeli occupation forces. This incident took place while El-Ghoul was covering the burning of a civilian car in which two Palestinian civilians were shot dead by the Israeli occupation forces near Al-Matahen junction in Al-Qarara. In his testimony to PCHR, El-Ghoul stated that he immediately went to the area when he learned about the shooting at a civilian car by the Israeli occupation forces. He saw Israeli occupation troops using a robot to inhumanely pull the bodies of two Palestinian civilians from the car. He added that Palestinian citizens in the area started to shout “Allah Akbar” (Allah is the greatest) as soon as they saw the inhumane way in which the Israeli occupation forces were dealing with the bodies of the Palestinian martyrs. Immediately, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian citizens, wounding a number of them seriously. At that time, El-Ghouls says he tried to reach his car to leave the area. He was about two meters away from his car when it was shot at intensively. As a result it was severely damaged.
On the same day, Samir Khalifa, a correspondent of the Palestinian Television, and a staff of accompanying cameramen were evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza, due to inhaling tear gas used by the Israeli occupation forces in the area where the above-mentioned Palestinian civilians were shot dead. Khalifa and the staff were trapped under fire opened up by the Israeli occupation forces.
? On November 16, 2000:
Israeli occupation troops positioned in the vicinity of City Inn in
Ramallah shot at Mohammed Zeid El-Kielani, a cameraman of Arab News Network
(ANN), wounding him with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the shoulder.
This incident took place while El-Kielani was covering clashes between
Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces at the entrance
of Al-Bireh.
? On November 19, 2000:
Mouaffaq Turki Qassem Mattar, 46 years old, a photographer of Falasteen
Al-Yawm (Palestine Today) Press in Ramallah, was wounded again, with a
rubber-coated bullet in the head. This incident took place while
Mattar was covering clashes in Al-Mentar area to the east of Gaza City,
during which the Israeli occupation forces shot dead a 14-year-old Palestinian
child and wounded 23 Palestinian civilians, including Mattar himself.
PCHR condemns such practices by the Israeli occupation forces against local and international journalists. PCHR considers these belligerent actions to be a part of the racist practices of the Israeli occupation forces. PCHR stresses the following:
? The basic duty of journalists is to convey facts honestly, objectively and without bias to any party. Achieving this requires the freedom to receive and impart information, without any restrictions that may hinder journalists from carrying out their duty.
? Practices of the Israeli occupation forces against journalists of local and international press agencies are part and parcel of the practices of these forces against defenseless Palestinian civilians. The practices have caused the deaths of more than 210 Palestinians, while wounding thousands more.
? In light of the above, PCHR stresses that practices of the Israeli occupation forces against local and international journalists aim at terrifying them, so that they will stop imparting information and photos of the crimes committed by these forces against defenseless Palestinian civilians. They aim at imposing media isolation on the occupied Palestinian territories in order to pave the way for the Israeli occupation forces to commit more crimes against defenseless Palestinian civilians. These crimes would be carried out away from the eyes of the world and without journalists being able to document them.
? Through these practices, the Israeli occupation forces seek to prevent journalists from documenting their crimes against defenseless Palestinian civilians in order to avoid being condemned by the international community and public opinion.
? PCHR is concerned about such practices because of the serious possibility that the Israeli occupation forces might escalate their crimes against defenseless Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories. In this context, PCHR reminds the international community of the practices of the Israeli occupation forces in 1982, when these forces isolated the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila and oversaw a ruthless massacre of the Palestinian people; killing in cold blood and with collaboration from the Lebanese Al-Kataeb more than 3,000 defenseless Palestinian civilians in the two refugee camps.
? In light of the above, PCHR calls on the international community, especially the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to immediately intervene to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1322/2000, which calls for establishing an international commission of inquiry to investigate the crimes being committed by the Israeli occupation forces against defenseless Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories.
? PCHR calls on the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva
Convention to meet their obligations under the Convention and immediately
provide international protection for the Palestinian people in order to
prevent crimes that could be committed by the Israeli occupation forces
against defenseless Palestinian civilians.