Palestinian Journalist Syndicate Calls for Protection for Journalists

17 Dec

2:27 AM

Cameraman from Al Jazeera network, Majdi Bannoura, was injured Saturday, covering the Israeli military invasion of Ramallah and the subsequent protests.

Bannoura told Palestine News Network (PNN) he raised his hand to protect his head, the tear-gas canister hitting his hand, breaking his finger, requiring 4 stitches and a cast.

He said “the Israeli Occupation Forces deliberately target Palestinian journalists”, despite the internationally recognized blue PRESS vests and cameras.

Palestinian Journalist Syndicate (PJS), Sunday, called on international rights organizations to “move quickly to stop the deliberate targeting by the Israeli occupation of journalists in the occupied Palestinian territories.”

Eyad Hamad, chairman of the Cameramen Committee of the PJS, told PNN in an interview that “Israeli occupation authorities have escalated have escalated their targeting of journalists” firing live ammunition, tear-gas canisters, and stun grenades to “disrupt their careers and prevent them from reporting abuses against journalists and the Palestinian people in general.”

Hamad deplored the “daily crimes committed by the army” stating that journalists were “clearly targeted in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Gaza.”

In related news, Palestinian photojournalist for Al-RAY, Atiya Darwish, was shot in the face with a tear-gas canister Friday, while covering the Great March of Return protests on the eastern border of Gaza.