From: Subject: Palestine Chronicle : 5 Journalist Killed, 220 Wounded by Israelis in 20 Month Old Intifada Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 13:09:26 +0200 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: file://F:\Mette\Web%20site\Themes\Media%20Abuse\Jenindeath_PChron.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 Palestine Chronicle : 5 = Journalist Killed, 220 Wounded by Israelis in 20 Month Old = Intifada

5 Journalist Killed, 220 Wounded by Israelis in 20 Month Old = Intifada

Sunday, July 14 2002 @ 02:08 AM GMT

Palestine Chronicle Reporter and LAW

OCCUPIED = JERUSALEM:=20 On July 12, 2002, Israeli troops fatally wounded 30-year-old Palestinian = journalist Emad Abu Zahra, head of the Al Nakheel Media Office in Jenin = on=20 Thursday, July 11, 2002; he passed away on Friday, July 12, 2002.=20

Abu Zahra was critically wounded when Israeli troops opened fire on=20 Palestinian civilians in Jenin; another journalist was also wounded in = the=20 attack. According to investigations carried out by the Palestinian Human = Rights=20 Organization, LAW, the shooting occurred at 15:30 on Thursday when = Israeli tanks=20 entered south Jenin during a temporary lifting of the curfew imposed on = the West=20 Bank town.

One of the Israeli tanks opened fire on a number of=20 Palestinian journalists from close distance wounding Abu Zahra in the = legs and=20 Shawqi Al Dahla (27) of the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) in the left = leg.=20

Abu Zahra was critically wounded and undergone a surgery; = however, he=20 was pronounced dead on Friday, July 12, 2002. Al Dahla is still = undergoing=20 medical treatment at Jenin hospital.

The number of journalists = killed by=20 Israeli fire during the 20-month-old Intifada has so far reached 5 = including 4=20 Palestinians and an Italian named Rafaelle Ciriello. Moreover, more than = 220=20 journalists have been wounded.

According to LAW, Articles 50 and = 51 of=20 the 'Protocols Additional to the 1949 Geneva Convention' emphasize the=20 protection of civilians in time of war including journalists, since they = are=20 part of the civilian population: The articles read, "The civilian = population=20 comprises all persons who are civilians." "The civilian population and=20 individual civilians shall enjoy general protection against dangers = arising from=20 military operations." Article 79 of the 'Protocols Additional to the = 1949 Geneva=20 Convention' stipulates: "Journalists engaged in dangerous professional = missions=20 in areas of armed conflict shall be considered as civilians within the = meaning=20 of Article 50, paragraph 1. They shall be protected as such under the=20 Conventions and this Protocol, provided that they take no action = adversely=20 affecting their status as civilians."

In a press release issued = July 13,=20 LAW claimed =93The West Bank and Gaza are under belligerent occupation. = As the=20 human rights situation continues to deteriorate, the Israeli authorities = routinely attempt to avoid accountability for their abuses by offering = wholly=20 unconvincing justifications for their conduct unsupported by the = findings of=20 either independent or internal investigations. In such a situation, it = is=20 imperative that the media be present to record what the military denies = or=20 refuses to acknowledge as having occurred. LAW strongly condemns Israeli = human=20 rights violations and calls upon international institutions to intervene = to=20 allow journalists to freely cover the incidents in the occupied = Palestinian=20 territories. LAW also calls upon the international community and = international=20 journalists organizations to immediately intervene to put an end to = Israel=92s=20 blatant human rights violations, provide immediate protection for = Palestinian=20 people, and end the Israeli occupation.=94

Palestine Chronicle
http://palestinechronicle.com/article.php?story=3D20020714020851792=20