The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has documented at least eleven television journalists and two drivers who have been injured in recent clashes between Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. On 25 September 1996, two journalists and a driver from the Palestinian Broadcast Corporation (PBC) were wounded by rubber bullets believed […]
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has documented at
least eleven television journalists and two drivers who have been
injured in recent clashes between Palestinians and Israelis in
the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
On 25 September 1996, two journalists and a driver from the
Palestinian Broadcast Corporation (PBC) were wounded by rubber
bullets believed to have been fired from Israeli positions while
covering clashes in al-Birreh, near the West Bank town of
Ramallah. It appears that the attack was random crossfire. Abdel
Karim Zeneid, a cameraman, was wounded in the head by a rubber
bullet. He was treated for his injuries in hospital and released
the same day. Murad Siyyam, a cameraman, was shot in the face by
a rubber bullet. He was treated for his wound and released from
hospital the same day. Ali Shanaan, a driver, was struck in the
head by a rubber bullet. He was treated and released from
hospital the same day.
On 26 September 1996, four journalists and a driver from PBC were
wounded by rubber bullets while covering clashes near Ramallah.
The rounds were believed to have been fired randomly from an
Israeli position. Muhammad Saadi, a reporter, was wounded by a
rubber bullet to his abdomen. He remains in hospital and is
recovering from his wound. Abdel Nasser, a cameraman, was struck
in the head by a rubber bullet. He was treated and released from
hospital the same day. Ahmed Kaddoumi, a reporter, was wounded in
the arm by a rubber bullet. He was treated and released from
hospital the same day. Ghassan Kandah, a driver, was wounded by a
rubber bullet to his shoulder. He was treated at hospital and
released the same day. Khaled Abu Hattab, a cameraman, was
wounded by a rubber bullet to his hand. He was treated at
hospital and released the same day.
Two members of a three-man crew from Israel’s Second Channel were
also wounded during clashes between Israelis and Palestinians in
Gaza on 26 September. Yossi Eindor, a reporter, was struck by
bullets in the leg and back. His injuries are not serious but he
remains in hospital. Chaim Assias, a cameraman, was seriously
wounded by gunshots to his left arm and stomach – the latter
which caused damage to his liver and kidney. He remains in
hospital having been just recently removed from intensive care.
All three were fired upon by Palestinian police after they had
climbed a tower to get a better view of events on the ground.
After being wounded, the crew came under continued fire despite
attempts to display their camera equipment and press IDs.
According to news reports, Palestinian police believed the crew
was an Israeli army patrol. CPJ cannot ascertain whether or not
it was known to the assailants that the crew were journalists.
The remaining cases, which also occurred on 26 September, include
that of Issa Freij, a cameraman from CBS, who was shot in the
chest in Ramallah during armed clashes (see IFEX alert dated 26
September 1996). The attack was apparently the result of
crossfire between Israelis and Palestinians. He is currently
recovering in hospital. As well, Manoocher Deghati, a
photographer for Agence France Presse (AFP) based in Jerusalem,
was shot in the leg by live fire during gun battles near
Ramallah. Derghati suffered fractures to his right leg and was
taken to Ramallah Hospital and later transported to Hadassah Ein
Kerem hospital in West Jerusalem. He is recovering after surgery.
His injury was the result of random fire. Majdi al-Arabid, a
cameraman for Worldwide Television News (WTN), was wounded in
both hands and one of his legs by random gunfire in Gaza near the
Erez checkpoint during clashes between Israelis and Palestinians.
Al-Arabid was seeking appropriate medical attention inside Israel
because of the fear that he might loose permanent use of his
hands but was denied exit/entry by Palestinian and Israeli
authorities. On Friday morning he was transported to Cairo to
receive medical care.
