The foreign press condemned attacks by Israeli settlers on journalists
The Foreign Press Association in Jerusalem (FPA) on Monday called on the Israeli government to end it ” direct “ Israeli settler attacks on journalists in the West Bank.
The FPA, which represents hundreds of journalists, including Israeli and Palestinian journalists, who work for foreign media, stated this “disappointed” by recent attacks, particularly during the olive harvest in recent weeks. “Journalists, both local and foreign, were clearly targeted when they documented unprecedented violence against Palestinians during this year’s olive harvest”indicated the association in a press release.
Two Reuters news agency employees, wearing vests and helmets clearly marked “press”, were attacked on Saturday by masked Israeli civilians, armed with sticks and stones, near the village of Beita, in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967, it reported. “Dozens of settlers beat one of the employees, a journalist, while he was on the ground, causing serious injuries”determine FPA.
A photographer from Agence France-Presse (AFP) saw the injured journalists when they arrived at a hospital in Nablus, a town near Beita. ” They (settlers) also attacks those who try to help (to injured journalists). A Reuters security guard was beaten, and two independent Palestinian journalists were injured while being chased »added the association.
On October 10, an AFP photographer was also beaten with sticks by settlers while he was taking pictures of olives in the same area. “In my thirty-year career, this is the first time I have encountered violence like this.”said this photographer, Jaafar Ashtiyeh, based in Nablus, whose car was also set on fire. “If I don’t manage to escape, they will kill me”he added.
“Israeli forces frequently harass and intimidate journalists, sometimes detaining them and threatening to expel them”added the FPA, whose board of directors is occupied by an AFP journalist. FPA condemned “increasing hostility towards the media on the part of the Israeli authorities” and called the army and police “to ensure journalists can work freely and safely”.
When asked by AFP, the Israeli army did not immediately react to the accusations.
