Bil'in, June 9, 2006: Commemorating and recognizing media people

Above, left: (overheard) "Can't you reach further with the tear-gas launcher?"

Press photographers recognized

Freedom of Press Violations in Israel and Palestine

Does the Only Democracy in the Middle East Uphold Press Freedom?

Adapted from the emailed invitation for today's demonstration in Bil'in, distributed by "Anarchists againt the fence":

This Friday, as every week for over a year, the people of Bil'in demonstrated against the construction of the wall and the theft of their lands. Although the physical wall at Bil'in is still standing, the psychological wall which separates Israelis from Palestinians is steadily being torn down and replaced with joint struggle. The more we do this the stronger the movement to tear down the actual wall.

To join next weeks's demonstration from Tel Aviv - call Kobi 054-219-1547 by Thursday evening.
If you are coming from Jerusalem, please call Yuval 054-798-2889, also by Thursday evening.

Although the demonstrations are the main part of the struggle which the village is waging, it does not stop there. Much more help is needed to support the village's fight. People are needed for everything from agricultural work to lobbying, driving, and sleeping over at the village. Everyone can do something. For more information about what is needed or to offer help please call kobi 054-219-1547.

A pentagonal monument commemorating five journalists killed, in the occupied Palestinian terrotories, during the Al Aqsa Intifada:

Raffaele Ciriello, an Italian free-lance photographer who was on assignment for the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, was killed by Israeli gunfire on March 13, 2002, during the re-occupation of Ramallah.

Guardian, March 14, 2002.

On September 22, 2002 Issam Hamza Al Tilawi, 30, a Palestinian journalist for Voice of Palestine, was shot and killed by an Israeli army sniper while covering a demonstration in the centre of Ramallah. Witnesses claimed the journalist was clearly wearing a vest marked "press".

Reuters, April 19, 2003.

Nazih Darwazeh, 45, a Palestinian cameraman working for the Associated Press Television News (APTN) was shot in the head at close range and killed while filming clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli troops in central Nablus in the morning of April 19, 2003, according to Palestinian journalists who witnessed the incident. Video footage of the incident, reviewed by CPJ, appeared to corroborate their accounts.

Radio Tariq Al Mahabbeh, Nablus

On May 2, 2003, James Miller, a British freelance journalist working on a documentary for the US premier cable station Home Box Office (HBO) , was shot dead in Rafah when a bullet from an Israeli tank hit his neck. Miller, his producer Saira Shah, and translator Abdul Rahman Abdullah attempted to identify themselves to the Israeli troops in the area, who were in armoured personnel carriers. All the journalists were wearing jackets marked "TV," as well as helmets. The Associated Press quoted a British journalist identified as "Dan" as saying: "We were very visible to the troops, with a white flag and 'TV' markings on our vests, but still the troops opened fire, hitting James Miller."
An autopsy on Miller's body established that he was struck head-on by an Israeli-type bullet, thereby supporting the account of Miller's crew. The fact that he was hit head-on by an Israeli-type bullet contradicts the claim of Colonel Ari Levy, the deputy commander in the Gaza Strip, that Miller was hit by a shot from behind, a claim implying that he could have been killed by Palestinian gunfire. The Associated Press film confirms that the night was quiet and that there was no other gunfire in the area at the time of Miller's death.

On July 12, 2002, Imad Abu Zahra, 35, a freelance reporter on mission for the Palestinian news agency WAFA, died of his wounds one day after he was shot by Israeli troops in the West Bank city of Jenin. He was wounded in the thigh, lost a large quantity of blood and slipped into a coma before being brought to the hospital, hospital officials said. Said Dahla, a photographer, also working for WAFA, was also wounded in the incident, but survived. An Israeli army spokesman said the shooting began after a group of Palestinian children approached a military vehicle and threw stones and firebombs. The soldiers were then allegedly shot at and returned fire. Palestinian witnesses, however, denied there had been any exchange of fire or any firebombs.

Haaretz, July, 26 2002.

Media people being awarded recognition palques in a ceremony held next to the fence.