An Italian photographer, Raffaele Ciriello (see picture), was killed on 13 March by shots fired from an Israeli tank in Ramallah.
Incidents of shooting to intimidate have been numerous. Warning shots were fired and five stun grenades thrown at a foreign press convoy of seven armoured vehicles on their way to cover US mediator Anthony Zinni's visit to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah on 5 April. When the convoy turned back, the CNN vehicle was hit by a bullet that broke the rear window.
On 16 April, a Swedish TV crew were fired on in their vehicle in Ramallah. One of the crew, Peder Carlqvist, said the shots came as the vehicle was turning round in response to orders from soldiers.
On 16 April, a Swedish TV crew were fired on in their vehicle in Ramallah. One of the crew, Peder Carlqvist, said the shots came as the vehicle was turning round in response to orders from soldiers.
Two days before, the Israeli army had said journalists could enter the West Bank again, except for the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the Jenin refugee camps and Yasser Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah.
Many Palestinian journalists have reported being roughly treated or threatened. Two of them, Maher Shalabi and Majid Sawalha, were arrested by soldiers in the centre of Ramallah on 16 April and taken into a building where they were blindfolded and their hands cuffed behind their backs. They were insulted and hit in the stomach, legs and back before being released a few hours later during the curfew.
Many Palestinian journalists have reported being roughly treated or threatened. Two of them, Maher Shalabi and Majid Sawalha, were arrested by soldiers in the centre of Ramallah on 16 April and taken into a building where they were blindfolded and their hands cuffed behind their backs. They were insulted and hit in the stomach, legs and back before being released a few hours later during the curfew.