Fifteen journalists have been arrested since Israel began its occupation of Palestinian towns and cities on 29 March. Ashraf Farraj and Jalal Hameid, of the local Bethlehem TV station Al-Rouah, were arrested by Israeli soldiers at the Bethlehem press centre on 3 April and taken to the Beitunia detention centre near Ramallah. Ahmed Assi (see picture), a cameraman with ANN, was arrested in Ramallah on 2 April and imprisoned at a detention centre in Ashkelon. Maher Hussein Romanneh, a presenter on Palestinian radio, was arrested in Ramallah on 30 March and taken to the Ofer detention centre.
At least seven journalists have been wounded by bullets, some seriously. Carlos Handal, a cameraman for the Egyptian station Nile TV, was hit by an Israeli sniper's bullets on 29 March in Ramallah while travelling in a car marked "Press." One bullet came through the windscreen and seriously wounded him in the throat.
At least seven journalists have been wounded by bullets, some seriously. Carlos Handal, a cameraman for the Egyptian station Nile TV, was hit by an Israeli sniper's bullets on 29 March in Ramallah while travelling in a car marked "Press." One bullet came through the windscreen and seriously wounded him in the throat.
These events have been sadly all too common since the second Intifada began in September 2000. RSF has counted 56 cases of journalists wounded by gunfire during that time, more than half of them Palestinians.
The great majority of the incidents, after on-the-spot investigation, have been found by RSF to be shooting by Israeli forces. Yet some journalists were clearly identifiable as such and were standing some distance away from clashes when they were hit. Only rarely have these incidents been seriously investigated and very few of those responsible punished.
The great majority of the incidents, after on-the-spot investigation, have been found by RSF to be shooting by Israeli forces. Yet some journalists were clearly identifiable as such and were standing some distance away from clashes when they were hit. Only rarely have these incidents been seriously investigated and very few of those responsible punished.