Wanton Killing of Journalists: Specialty of Jewish Barbarism

Reuters, Al-Jazeera, BBC, Associated Press, Agence France-Presse are targeted

A group of international journalists working near the Israel-Lebanon border were hit by Israeli artillery fire on Friday, leaving one dead and six wounded in what appeared to be a direct strike by Israel on a group of clearly identified reporters.

A Reuters spokesperson said, “We are deeply saddened to learn that our videographer, Issam Abdallah, has been killed,” adding that “Issam was part of a Reuters crew in southern Lebanon who was providing a live signal. We are urgently seeking more information, working with authorities in the region, and supporting Issam’s family and colleagues. Our thoughts are with his family at this terrible time.”

The spokesperson said Reuters journalists Thaer Al-Sudani and Maher Nazeh “also sustained injuries and are seeking medical care.”

The live feed was taken offline Friday morning after the journalists shooting the footage were struck by rocket fire. In the footage, a loud explosion occurs, followed by a woman shouting, “What happened?! What happened?! I can’t feel my legs! I can’t feel my legs!” A man can be heard saying, “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

The source and direction of the strike were clearly from Israel into Lebanon where the reporters were stationed. The strike was not random: The reporters were in an area remote from the front line and were wearing jackets and helmets clearly identifying them with the conventional PRESS markings.

This incident is reminiscent of Israel’s deliberate assassination in May 2022 of Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu-Akleh, a Christian American of Palestinian descent, who was covering an Israeli assault on the Palestinian refugee camp of Jenin while wearing clealry marked jacket and helmet. Under threats by Jewish organizations, not one Western or international institution dared investigate the murder.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) published a report that said no accountability was taken by the Israeli military over its killings of at least 20 journalists over the past two decades. The press advocacy group said it had documented at least 20 journalists killed by Israeli military fire since 2001, 18 of whom were Palestinian. No one has ever been charged or held accountable for these deaths.

In south Lebanon yesterday, journalist Ali Hashem said on air that the reporters were part of a convoy of reporters traveling in the border area on Friday. At one point they separated, with the Reuters and AFP crew going to an area overlooking the scene and the Al Jazeera crew going to a village, he said. “Then there was this direct shell that hit the team,” he said, adding that he thought the round had been fired by an Israeli tank. “This crew was together all day and the Israelis had seen this crew because we were on the road all the time, back and forth,” he said. “We were identified clearly.”

Qatar-based news outlet Al Jazeera said two of their journalists, Karmen Jokhadar and Eli Brakhia, were among those injured. The Agence France-Presse news agency also said two of its journalists were wounded. AFP photo editor Christina Assi shared footage on Instagram of what were purportedly the final moments before one group of reporters—seemingly the Reuters and AFP crew—was hit.

Reporters Without Borders reacted by saying that it condemned this heinous Israeli crime against journalists and will seek justice in courts against the Israeli barbarism.

Meanwhile in Tel Aviv, BBC journalists were assaulted and held at gunpoint by Israeli police.

The BBC said Friday that a group of its journalists covering Israel’s war with Hamas were held at gunpoint and assaulted by Israeli police in Tel Aviv. The disturbing incident, which the BBC said occurred on Thursday night, came as the team of three journalists drove to their hotel in a vehicle “clearly marked as media,” the British news network said.

The BBC said that the team was “dragged from their vehicle,” searched and pushed up against a wall during the stop. One of its journalists said that when he tried to film the incident, an officer threw his phone to the ground.

“Journalists must be able to report on the conflict in Israel-Gaza freely,” a BBC spokesperson said in a statement. An Israeli police spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.