PCHR strongly condemns the crime committed by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) on Wednesday evening, which took the life of Fadel Shana’a, a Palestinian journalist, when he carrying out his job in Gaza. PCHR expresses utmost concern over continued crimes committed by IOF against Journalists and media professionals, which is a reflection of excessive use of force against civilians, and systematic targeting of journalists to prevent them from covering crimes committed against civilians. According to information obtained by PCHR, and the testimony of Wafa Abu Mezyed, a Reuters soundman who was wounded in the attack, at approximately 17:00 on Wednesday, 16 April 2008, Fadel Subhi Shana’a, 23, a cameraman, and Wafa Younsi Abu Mezyed, 25, a soundman, both working for Reuters, were near al-Ihasn Mosque in Juhor al-Dik village, southeast of Gaza City, photographing crimes committed by IOF in the area.[1] When they finished their work, Shana’a and Abu Mezyed traveled in their sport utility vehicle bearing "TV" and "Press" markings towards Salah al-Din Street to leave the village. Abu Mezyed Sated: “When we were traveling towards Salah al-Din Street, Israeli military vehicles were nearly 700 meters away from us. We stopped and got out of the vehicle and Shana’a started to photograph the military vehicles. We were wearing bulletproof suits and carrying cameras. When I was driving a number of children away from us, I was surprised by a shell falling near Shana’a who was standing near the vehicle. I saw him falling on the ground and I was wounded by shrapnel to the left hand. Another shell hit the back of the vehicle, and I was wounded by shrapnel to the pelvis and the right foot. I cried and ran towards ambulances to save us.†Immediately, ambulances evacuated Shana’a and Abu Mezyed to al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Deir al-Balah. According to medical sources, Shana’a was brought the hospital dead. Reuters stated on its web site that “Shana’a was covering events in the Gaza Strip for Reuters on a day of intense violence.†“He had stepped from his car to film an Israeli tank dug in several hundred meters (yards) away, when an explosion killed him and two youth passing by. Video from Shana's camera showed the tank opening fire. Two seconds after the shot raises dust around its gun, the tape goes blank – seemingly at the moment Shana was hit,†the statement added. PCHR strongly condemns this latest crime, which is part of systematic targeting of journalists by IOF. Since the beginning of the current Intifada in late September 2000, IOF have killed 9 journalists, including an Italian journalist and a British one, and have wounded at least 170 others. PCHR reiterates its calls for the international community and the High Contracting Parties of the 1949 Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War to fulfill their obligation to ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances, and to immediately intervene to stop grave breaches of the Convention perpetrated by IOF. You can find table of Journalists Killed by IOF since September 2000 Source : http://pchrgaza.ps/files/PressR/English/2008/35-2008.html
Yeah, I saw it on TV yesterday. I didn't make a thread out of it coz I fear getting infractions for posting news. I have a good collection of them already...
1. don't call it IOF it's IDF. impudent. 2. if journalists will not be near terrorists, i'ts will not happend. 3. the terrorists using this: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3410470,00.html. they have no limits. "IDF sources reported that look-outs identified a vehicle marked with "TV" insignia approaching the crossing from the Palestinian side of the fence. According to the sources, the Palestinians made an opening in the fence and infiltrated Israeli territory."
It was nothing but murder out of revenge. Every single time when IOF soldier got killed or Israeli civilian IOF goes on revenge rampage and usually great number of innocent civilians got killed. There's no one on planet Earth with common sense that can tell me that this murder isn't result of IOF revenge because of 3 soldiers got killed. And not only cameraman was killed! More civilians including 5 children was murdered too. Check news in past few years and you will always see a large number of Palestinian civilians got murdered every single time when there is casualties at Israeli side no matter are they IOF or civilians. Again, if everyone look at pictures from this murder they can see it was very clear shot on bright daylight. Don't tell me, IOF tank crew didn't have ability to see that he was holding a camera! Yeah, IOF tank are equiped with outdated technology! One another thing: with all those terrorists and "terrorists" in that area you would think that they would go around and murder journalists to hide their activitis (just take a look at Iraq and number of journalists killed there). That sounds logic too me but as far as I know the only force killing journalists in ME is IOF. Correct me if I am wrong.
its a policy by such a terrorist regime, we have seen them before killing journalists, and peace activists, always they try to make excuses, but they are running out of them, they been caught many times on cameras, such excuses are only to cover their real criminal nature from the world eyes, they also have another policy in targeting civilians and say it was an accident, they also shot down civilian airplane and said it was an accident, they even hit their alley military ship USS liberty and said it was an accident, they bombed UN shelter killing hundreds of women and children and elder and said it was an accident.
Nothing will Change... Nothing has changed for 40+ years of occupation and endless wars... and nothing is likely to change now