Threats by american actor John Malkovich against journalist Robert Fisk.

Reporters Without Borders expresses its support for Robert Fisk.   Robert Fisk, journalist with the British daily The Independent, has been for several months the target of a vicious campaign of abuse over his coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and his criticism of Israeli and US policy in the region. In this context the remark by US actor John Malkovich, to the Cambridge Union in the UK on 1 May 2002, that he wanted to "shoot" the journalist, is of an unprecedented seriousness, coming as it does from someone as well known as Mr Malkovich. "The actor John Malkovich dares to use his fame to encourage a barrage of abuse and threats against a prominent journalist. We denounce these seriously irresponsible remarks by the American actor that are as stupid as they are dangerous, and assure Robert Fisk of our full support, " said Reporters Without Borders' General Secretary Robert Ménard. A journalist of international renown, a Middle East specialist and one of the first to denounce the 1982 massacres in the Sabra and Chatila refugee camps, Robert Fisk has regularly received anonymous threats for his coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. After September 11, he pointed out in a number of articles that the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict was one of the main roots of terrorism. Questioned at the Cambridge Union debate on 1 May about who he would like to fight to the death, John Malkovich replied that he would prefer to "shoot" Robert Fisk. Robert Fisk's article on the threats against him can be read on