Israel at War with Palestinian Journalists
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
Israel wants evidence of its high crimes against Palestinians suppressed.
Truth-telling Palestinian journalists are vulnerable to arrest, prosecution, imprisonment or elimination.
Over two dozen Palestinian journalists languish in Israeli gulag hell, enduring deplorable mistreatment.
According to the Committee to Support Palestinian Journalists, “(t)he Israeli occupation tries to muzzle the Palestinian journalists’ mouths and prevent them from unmasking its barbaric practices in the occupied Palestinian territories to the international media.”
Palestinian journalists covering Israeli violence against legitimate protesters risk serious injury or death.
Anyone wearing a flak jacket labeled press is vulnerable, their heads, stomachs or other unprotected body areas targeted. Israeli snipers killed two Palestinian journalists covering protests in Gaza since Good Friday.
On April 7, Yaser Murtaja died from live fire injuries sustained. On April 25, Ahmad abu Hussein succumbed to stomach wounds.
Israel targets Palestinian journalists and protesters violently, including with exploding dum dum bullets, leaving fist-sized wounds exiting bodies struck, designed to inflict disabling damage to internal body parts or death.
The 1899 Hague Convention banned their use – international law never deterring Washington or Israel from doing whatever they please.
After five Great March of Return Fridays, over five dozen Palestinian journalists were injured by live fire, rubber-coated steel bullets able to penetrate flesh, or toxic tear gas.
Fatalities and injuries occurred around 300 meters or further away from Israel’s border fence. Palestinians targeted threatened no one.
Israeli snipers shoot to kill or seriously wound Palestinian demonstrators and journalists covering them.
On Thursday, the Palestinian Center for Development & Media Freedoms (MADA) called for an independent commission of inquiry into Israeli attacks on Palestinian journalists, citing two deaths and numerous injuries inflicted.
MADA said it “documented at least 12 journalists targeted with live ammunition by Israeli snipers in the Gaza Strip; a grave breach of the fourth Geneva, since the start of the peaceful return march 30/03/2018 until the evening of 24/4/2018.”
Israeli forces killed dozens of Palestinian journalists for doing their jobs, reporting on occupation harshness, exposing Israeli high crimes, wanting them silenced.
“(T)he culture of impunity enjoyed by the Israeli Occupation Forces, and the ongoing target of journalists that goes without accountability, encourage IOF to continue to commit these crimes on a fast pace,” MADA explained – why it called for an independent probe.
It’s not possible as long as Israel obstructs it, preventing anyone from entering the Occupied Territories without its permission – notably excluded from blockaded Gaza.
The international community is complicit with Israel for refusing to hold it accountable, encouraging its ruling regimes to continue oppressing and killing Palestinians with impunity.
If conducted, independent investigations won’t change a thing. Israel does what it pleases with full US support and encouragement.
Richard Goldstone’s fall from grace showed what happens when investigative work exposes Israeli crimes.
Under heavy pressure, he softened his condemnation of Israeli Operation Cast Lead high crimes on Gaza, backtracking on important findings, sacrificing his reputation in the process.
Israel gets away with mass murder and much more because the world community does nothing to hold its ruling regimes accountable.
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