Reuters photographer injured in Ramallah shooting

Reporters Without Borders protested today about the injuring of Reuters photographer Ammar Awad in shooting by Israeli soldiers in Ramallah yesterday during a clash with Palestinian youths. "We ask the military authorities to investigate this incident," said Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Ménard, "and we urge Israeli soldiers to take greater care, especially when journalists are clearly identifiable as such, as in this case." Ménard noted that since the beginning of the second Intifada in the Palestinian occupied territories, 46 journalists had been hit by gunfire. After on-the-spot enquiries, the organisation has found most of the shooting to be Israeli. Several journalists, mostly Palestinians, were seriously wounded in these incidents despite the fact that some were clearly identified as journalists and were standing aside from clashes when they were hit. With very few exceptions, no serious Israeli investigations into these shootings have been made and very few of those responsible punished. Awad was hit by a rubber bullet fired by an Israeli soldier while he and other journalists were covering the clash about 10 minutes after the start of the curfew on 26 August. He was slightly injured on the shoulder, part of his body not protected by his bulletproof jacket marked "Press," and was taken to hospital first in Ramallah and then in Jerusalem. Awad has been working for Reuters for the past 18 months. Ahmed Bahaddou, a Belgian cameraman for Reuters, was turned back to Jordan on 15 August, a day after being refused entry into Israel. Reuters sound man Yusri el-Jamal, a Palestinian, who was arrested in Hebron on 30 April, is still being held by the Israeli authorities. On 18 June, an Israeli military court rejected his application for immediate release and on 11 July his imprisonment was extended by three months.