The Cat in Boots

24th November 2012

Link reblogged from Anonymiss Express with 5 notes

Three journalists killed in deliberate attacks by Israeli planes - Reporters Without Borders →

anonymissexpress:

[…]

In an interview with Al-Jazeera three days ago (Note: Nov 18th), the Israeli government spokesman, Mark Regev, said Al-Aqsa journalists were not legitimate journalists in the same way as those from the BBC or Al-Jazeera.

Reporters Without Borders strongly condemns these deliberate attacks on those working for media organizations affiliated to, or with links to, Hamas, and also the statement by the Israeli government spokesman. The press freedom organization points out that, under humanitarian law, journalists are entitled to the same protection as civilians and should not be regarded as military targets.

The fact that they are considered to be propaganda outlets is not sufficient reason to treat them as military targets. Indeed, the commission of experts appointed by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to examine the NATO bombing campaign in 1999 ruled that journalists and media organizations were not legitimate targets for “merely disseminating propaganda”.

“Attacks on civilian targets are war crimes and serious violations of the Geneva Conventions. Those responsible must be identified,” Christophe Deloire, Reporters Without Borders secretary general, said last weekend.

Since the start of Operation Pillar of Defence against the Gaza Strip, 11 journalists have been wounded:

— Six were hurt when Israeli planes fired missiles at the Al-Shawa Wa Hassri Tower in Gaza City at 2 a.m. on 18 November.
— Five hours later three Al-Aqsa TV employees were wounded when two missiles hit the Al-Shourouk building, located in the Rimal district in the western part of the city and known as the “journalists’ building”.
— Two more were hit in another Israeli salvo against the Al-Shourouk building. They were identified as Ahmed Al-Ridi, a cameraman for Al-Arabiya, and Ahmed Al-Achkar, a cameraman for the local station Houna Al-Qods TV. According to medical staff at the Al-Shifa hospital, they were only slightly hurt and were discharged two hours later, after treatment. An Israeli military spokesman said the planes’ target was Ramez Harb, a senior communications official in the Al Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad.

A dozen media organization offices were hit on 18 and 20 November.

[…]

Three journalists killed in deliberate attacks by Israeli planes - Reporters Without Borders

Tagged: journalismreporters without bordersAl-Aqsa