Reuters urges Israel answer on journalist killed

[subsuelo]

LONDON (Reuters) - A month after journalist Fadel Shana was killed by an Israeli tank crew in the Gaza Strip, Reuters renewed its demand on Thursday for a prompt explanation from the Israeli army of why it fired on its cameraman.

Shana, a 24-year-old Palestinian, was killed on April 16 along with eight mostly teenage bystanders by darts known as flechettes that burst out of a tank shell in mid-air. Shana had been filming about 1.5 km (a mile) from two Israeli tanks.

The Israeli army said it had completed an initial field investigation that had determined the soldiers had followed orders and acted appropriately. But military lawyers still had to study the case before the army could give a full account.

Both Shana and soundman Wafa Abu Mizyed, who was wounded in the wrist, were wearing blue body armor bearing the word "Press" on fluorescent strips. Their vehicle also bore "TV" and "Press" markings. They had been working in open view, on a quiet road off Gaza's main highway for some time before the tank is seen opening fire in the final moments of Shana's videotape.

Media groups operating in the Palestinian enclave have been urging the Israeli military to improve troops' awareness of the presence of journalists and to coordinate where possible.

Rejecting a request that IDF officers relay information to field commanders from journalists about their movements in Gaza to avoid media crews being inadvertently targeted, the army said in a statement last week: "There will be no coordination of press movement and activity in the areas of IDF operations".

Reuters - read more

[subsuelo]

1. So -

One month following the murder of Fadel Shana, we have:

• IDF investigated itself and reported that no wrong was done


• IDF lawyers are still at work wording the report findings


• IDF refuses to cooperate with journalists to help better protect them

Was anything else actually expected?

[mac2]

10. Nope. Not a surprise.

[leveymg]

2. Just like the U.S. tank shelling of the Palestine Hotel in Bagdad was a "mistake".

[mac2]

3. The US was outraged over journalist Mr. Pearl but not Shana.

Shows which they side they have decide to support and turn a blind eye to.

[oberliner]

4. Daniel Pearl was an American citizen

It does not seem unusual for the United States to react differently to the death of an American citizen than to someone who was not.

[mac2]

5. Then why are we in the Middle East protecting Israel?

They aren't Americans are they?

[notfullofit]

6. Where are

'we in the Middle Easr protecting Israel'?

[Scurrilous]

7. Like Rachel Corrie for instance. n/t

[oberliner]

8. Perfect example

Much more has been made of her death than that of the cameraman working for Reuters, due in no small part to the fact that she was an American citizen and he was not.

[mac2]

9. Ya...I guess women don't count.

[oberliner]

11. Women don't count?

I'm not sure I understand what point you are trying to make.

[msmcghee]

12. How long will we have to wait for the play "Fadel Shana"? n/t

[Shaktimaan]

13. Or maybe,

it has something to do with the fact that Shana's death was probably an unintended mistake while Mr. Pearl was identified, kidnapped and beheaded on camera specifically because he was an American. It was one of the most horrible things imaginable, done specifically to outrage, scare and anger us.

Shows which they side they have decide to support and turn a blind eye to.

I don't understand this comment. Daniel Pearl was an American, Shana was not. What are these "sides" you are referring to?

[ProgressiveMuslim]

14. The double standard is beyond shameful. nt