Israeli military "deliberately targeting" journalists

The Foreign Press Association (FPA) has charged the Israeli military of “deliberately targeting” journalists following clashes Friday at Qalandia checkpoint between Jerusalem and Ramallah in the Occupied West Bank.

In a statement dated 1 December, the FPA Board said that “Israeli forces threw stun grenades at FPA photojournalists” even as they were departing, and in a separate incident the same day, an Italian freelance photographer “was almost shot in the face by troops firing at eye level”.

An AFP report cited an army response claiming that photojournalists were “in the midst of the rioters” thus “putting themselves at risk”.

In February of this year, the FPA noted they had “demanded investigations into some 10 incidents in which journalists appear to have been abused by Israeli security forces”, with “just two investigations” launched, “with no results”.

Israeli authorities have been frequently criticised by groups representing journalists and press freedom issues, including Reporters Without Borders, as well as the Committee to Protect Journalists, who have documented “ongoing attacks on and detention of journalists in the Occupied Palestinian Territories”. Palestinian journalists launched a petition in the summer designed to draw attention to their lack of rights under Israeli occupation.