Palestinian photographer shot by Israeli troops dies

Witnesses say armored carrier fired on rescuers of two victims

Washington Post

Palestinian photographer shot by Israeli troops dies — The Spokesman-Review, 13 July 2002 — The Spokesman-Review · Spokane, Washington · 13 July 2002

Transcribed from the clipping

JERUSALEM — A Palestinian news photographer who was shot by Israeli troops in an armored personnel carrier died from his wounds Friday, and two Palestinians, including a 13-year-old boy, were killed during a clash in the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian security officials and other sources. The freelance photographer, Imad Abu Zahra, 34, was shot in the leg about 2 p.m.

Thursday while covering a story in the northern West Bank town of Jenin, according to colleagues with him at the time. They said Zahra was part of a small group of photographers taking pictures of a disabled Israeli armored personnel carrier when they were fired upon from the vehicle without warning.

Zahra and another photographer, Said Dahle, 25, who works for the Palestinian news agency WAFA, were both shot in the legs. Zahra, who was engaged to be married, lapsed into a coma and died Friday from loss of blood, hospital officials said.

Witnesses said neither of the injured men, who were wearing blue bulletproof vests that identified them as journalists, could be evacuated to a hospital because the Israeli vehicle kept firing at anyone who tried to rescue them. “They opened fire for no reason,” said Ali Samudi, a photographer for the Reuters news agency who said he witnessed the incident.

According to Reporters Without Borders, an international press organization, more than 40 journalists have been wounded by Israeli weapons fire since the start of the current Palestinian uprising in September 2000.

Naim Toubassi, head of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, said that in the past 21 months, his group has chronicled “167 cases in which journalists were targeted, assaulted, beaten and their cameras were smashed and destroyed” by Israeli forces. Three journalists were killed and 65 were wounded, he said.

In addition, according to Reporters Without Borders, 15 foreign or Palestinian media offices have been occupied by the Israeli army and at least 30 journalists have been arrested in the past 15 weeks. Six — all Palestinians — are still being detained, most without being charged.

“It is intolerable that two journalists have been killed in the last five months by the Israeli army, even more so when Israeli soldiers refused to allow an ambulance to get to the latest victim,” said Robert Menard, secretary general of Reporters Without Borders, in a statement. “The Israeli army is acting with complete impunity. This is also intolerable.”

An Israeli military spokeswoman said the army had no knowledge of any casualties in the Jenin incident, which she said occurred when the armored personnel carrier crashed into an electric pole, which collapsed on top of the vehicle and prevented it from moving. She said that as the crew waited for assistance, a crowd gathered and began throwing rocks and gasoline bombs.

Eventually, the armored vehicle came under sniper fire, she said, “and they fired back.” “There was accurate fire at the soldiers, and they returned fire only toward the people who were shooting at them,” she said, adding that the incident is under investigation.

In the Gaza Strip, Muain Adaini, 13, and a Palestinian police officer, Khaled Khattab, 25, were killed during an exchange of gunfire early Friday in the town of Deir al-Balah, Palestinian sources said.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said heavy gun battles broke out when army forces entered the central Gaza Strip town to arrest a man wanted by Israeli security and met armed resistance. She said she was not aware of any deaths or injuries, but army radio said the target of the raid was apprehended and five Palestinians were injured by Israeli fire.

Context added by this archive

The Washington Post account of the same death the Associated Press reported the day before. This headline names who fired. It gives Abu Zahra's age as 34, spells his colleague Said Dahle and gives his age as 25, and states that both injured men were wearing blue bulletproof vests identifying them as journalists, which the Associated Press account contradicts.

Cite this item

"Palestinian photographer shot by Israeli troops dies," The Spokesman-Review, 13 July 2002. Covering Palestine archive, CP-2002-033. https://coveringpalestine.org/archive/cp-2002-033