The Journalist Support Committee Strongly Condemns the Escalating violence against Journalists in Palestine

On Friday, 22 of December 2017, The Journalist Support Committee monitored at least 10 injured journalists, with injuries varying from slightly wounded to asphyxiating from excessive use of gas bombs to battery and assault, in addition to arrests and preventing coverage in the West Bank, Occupied Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.

The Committee who has worked to monitor all the violations committed against journalists during these following three weeks condemns in the strongest terms these deliberate targeting of journalists in order to prevent them from covering the demonstrations.

The Committee also confirms that the occupation forces have targeted ambulance crews and journalists with gas bombs at the northern entrance of the city of Al-Bireh.

According to the Committee's monitoring, the attacks are as follows:

- The arrest of photographer Amin Siam in the Old City of Jerusalem.

- Journalist Liwa'a Abu Ramilah injured from assault and battery in occupied Jerusalem.

- Journalist Ahmed Talaat was wounded in the right leg by a rubber bullet while covering the clashes in Nablus.

- Al Arabiya TV Cameraman was injured in Hebron.

- Palestinian TV correspondent Azmi Banat was wounded by a rubber bullet in the eye while he was covering the clashes in Hebron.

- Journalist Iyad Hamad was injured in the foot while covering clashes in the city of Bethlehem.

- Journalist Alaa Melhem asphyxiated from an extensive shooting of gas bomb in the northern entrance of the city of Al-Bireh.

- Cameraman Fadi Shanaanah asphyxiated from an extensive shooting of gas bomb canisters in Gaza.

- Journalist Hussein Abdel-Jawad asphyxiated from an extensive shooting of gas bomb canisters in Gaza.

- Journalist Samer al-Za'anin asphyxiated from an extensive shooting of gas bomb canisters in Gaza.

- Journalist Talal al-Hawaihi asphyxiated from an extensive shooting of gas bomb canisters in Gaza.

The Committee also monitored the prevention of Journalist Mahmoud Alyan from coverage.

In addition, the Israeli Occupation Forces prevented journalists from continuing coverage in Al-Arroub refugee camp located in the southern West Bank along the Hebron-Jerusalem road in the Hebron Governorate.

The Committee called on all International Institutions to provide protection to Palestinian Journalists stressing that the occupation violates all international conventions and covenants and prevents journalists from coverage while using excessive force.

Witness footage of attacks against journalists in the city of Al-Bireh:

Witness footage of deliberate attack and usage of gas and sound bombs against journalists to disperse them:

Witness footage of attack against Al-Quds cameraman with a gas bomb:

Journalist Support Committee - Palestine
23 December 2017