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opinion:
our view
Israel
must allow media to do its job in covering war
Reports have been coming in from the battle ridden cities
of the West Bank that Israeli soldiers have been firing on
and throwing grenades at journalists trying to report on the
conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
According to a Los Angeles Times article Monday, the Paris
based watchdog group Reporters Without Borders said at least
20 journalists have come under fire by Israeli soldiers while
trying to gain access to battlefields. The Israeli Army said
that the fire is meant as warning shots but five reporters,
including one American, have been wounded.
One convoy of television reporters trying to reach Yasser
Arafat's Ramallah compound came under attack by two Israeli
army jeeps. The jeeps rammed a CNN van, tossed stun grenades
at the convoy and fired plastic bullets on the group as it
fled the scene.
Israel is trying to do nothing more than halt the flow of
information from battlegrounds and control the news that reaches
the rest of the world. The United States succeeded in limiting
the news flow during the Gulf War and the current conflict
in Afghanistan, but the U.S. Army did not resort to violence
to keep out journalists.
Journalists working in war zones put their lives at great
risk when covering battles and conflicts. This comes with
the territory.
Stray bullets and bombs in the heat of a battle can easily
end a journalist's career and life. But soldiers purposely
shooting at reporters is unconscionable and a direct attack
not only on the reporters but also on the rights of citizens
of the world to know what is going on.
Israel is using every means at their disposal to hide the
activity of its army on the West Bank. Palestinians have been
kept in their homes, many not able to leave to obtain water,
food or medication.
There are also reports of innocent civilians being killed
by Israeli bombs and bullets. The Los Angeles Times reported
that Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian woman while using
explosives to enter her home.
The people of the world have a right to know everything that
is going on in the West Bank conflict. All information, both
good and bad, must be available to all that wish to hear or
read it.
Firing on journalists who are doing nothing more than try
to report the facts and the truth is abominable. Trying to
control information in such a manner is only going to further
hurt Israel's position and further erode the world support
that they need in their struggle.
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