Gentelman
SENIOR MEMBER
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- Nov 21, 2012
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HEBRON, West Bank (Reuters) - Israeli
soldiers punched two Reuters cameramen
and forced them to strip in the street,
before letting off a tear gas canister in front
of them, leaving one of them needing
hospital treatment.
Israel's military said on Thursday it took the
allegations seriously, but offered no
explanation for the assault that occurred on
Wednesday evening in the heart of Hebron.
"The regional brigade commander was
ordered to open an investigation," Israeli
Defense Forces spokeswoman Avital
Leibovich said in an email. No further
information will be provided until the
investigation is complete.
Yousri Al Jamal and Ma'amoun Wazwaz said
a foot patrol stopped them as they were
driving to a nearby checkpoint where a
Palestinian teenager had just been shot
dead by an Israeli border guard.
Their car was clearly marked 'TV' and they
were both wearing blue flak jackets with
'Press' emblazoned on the front.
The soldiers forced them to leave the vehicle
and punched them, striking them with the
***** of their guns. They accused them of
working for an Israeli NGO, B'Tselem, which
documents human rights violations in the
occupied West Bank, the Reuters
cameramen said.
Locals say B'Tselem has given a number of
Palestinians video cameras so they can film
soldiers and settlers who live in this divided
city. The NGO was not immediately available
for comment.
The soldiers did not let the men produce
their official ID papers and forced them to
strip down to their underwear, making them
kneel on the road with their hands behind
their heads, the cameramen said.
Two other Palestinian journalists working for
local news organizations, including a
satellite television station affiliated to the
Islamist group Hamas, were also stopped
and forced to the ground.
One of the soldiers then dropped a tear gas
canister between the men and the IDF patrol
ran away. The four journalists scrambled
clear and Jamal and Wazwaz got to their
car, which had rapidly filled up with tear
gas, they said.
They tried to drive away, but said they only
got around 200 meters before they had to
stop and exit the vehicle because of the
choking gas. The soldiers then fired more
tear gas in their direction.
Wazwaz was overcome by the fumes and
was taken to hospital by ambulance. He was
released later the same night.
The Israeli soldiers took two gas masks and
a video camera from their car. The
undamaged camera was later found
abandoned further up the road.
"We deplore the mistreatment of our
journalists and have registered our extreme
dismay with the Israeli military authorities,"
said Stephen J. Adler, editor-in-chief of
Reuters News.
Tensions have been running particularly high
in Hebron in the past week following
repeated clashes between stone-throwing
youths and soldiers.
Muhammad al-Salameh, 17, was shot dead
close to his house in the heart of Hebron on
Wednesday evening after an altercation with
border guards at a nearby checkpoint.
Israeli police said he had brandished a gun,
which later proved to be a toy gun.
Some 800 Jewish settlers live among 30,000
Palestinians in the parts of the old city that
are under Israeli control.
soldiers punched two Reuters cameramen
and forced them to strip in the street,
before letting off a tear gas canister in front
of them, leaving one of them needing
hospital treatment.
Israel's military said on Thursday it took the
allegations seriously, but offered no
explanation for the assault that occurred on
Wednesday evening in the heart of Hebron.
"The regional brigade commander was
ordered to open an investigation," Israeli
Defense Forces spokeswoman Avital
Leibovich said in an email. No further
information will be provided until the
investigation is complete.
Yousri Al Jamal and Ma'amoun Wazwaz said
a foot patrol stopped them as they were
driving to a nearby checkpoint where a
Palestinian teenager had just been shot
dead by an Israeli border guard.
Their car was clearly marked 'TV' and they
were both wearing blue flak jackets with
'Press' emblazoned on the front.
The soldiers forced them to leave the vehicle
and punched them, striking them with the
***** of their guns. They accused them of
working for an Israeli NGO, B'Tselem, which
documents human rights violations in the
occupied West Bank, the Reuters
cameramen said.
Locals say B'Tselem has given a number of
Palestinians video cameras so they can film
soldiers and settlers who live in this divided
city. The NGO was not immediately available
for comment.
The soldiers did not let the men produce
their official ID papers and forced them to
strip down to their underwear, making them
kneel on the road with their hands behind
their heads, the cameramen said.
Two other Palestinian journalists working for
local news organizations, including a
satellite television station affiliated to the
Islamist group Hamas, were also stopped
and forced to the ground.
One of the soldiers then dropped a tear gas
canister between the men and the IDF patrol
ran away. The four journalists scrambled
clear and Jamal and Wazwaz got to their
car, which had rapidly filled up with tear
gas, they said.
They tried to drive away, but said they only
got around 200 meters before they had to
stop and exit the vehicle because of the
choking gas. The soldiers then fired more
tear gas in their direction.
Wazwaz was overcome by the fumes and
was taken to hospital by ambulance. He was
released later the same night.
The Israeli soldiers took two gas masks and
a video camera from their car. The
undamaged camera was later found
abandoned further up the road.
"We deplore the mistreatment of our
journalists and have registered our extreme
dismay with the Israeli military authorities,"
said Stephen J. Adler, editor-in-chief of
Reuters News.
Tensions have been running particularly high
in Hebron in the past week following
repeated clashes between stone-throwing
youths and soldiers.
Muhammad al-Salameh, 17, was shot dead
close to his house in the heart of Hebron on
Wednesday evening after an altercation with
border guards at a nearby checkpoint.
Israeli police said he had brandished a gun,
which later proved to be a toy gun.
Some 800 Jewish settlers live among 30,000
Palestinians in the parts of the old city that
are under Israeli control.
