The armed man ordered the two journalists and the activist to evacuate the car in which they were travelling, on a road near the Palestinian village of Tamoun and the military checkpoint of Hamra in the north of the occupied West Bank. They were on their way to cover a shooting in a nearby area in the Jordan valley, and had to take a side road because the Israeli army closed the main road to Palestinians. According to PJS’ reports, Nasser called the emergency telephone number and informed the Israeli police. Israeli military convoys arrived at the place and interrogated the Palestinian journalists and the activist, without disclosing the identity of the ambulance driver.
The President of PJS, Nasser Abu Bakr, issued a statement highlighting the incident as part of a larger list of violations conducted against Palestinian journalists. The statement reiterates that Israeli medical teams refused to provide assistance to Palestinian journalists and media workers injured by Israeli fire or tear gas, when reporting on the ground.
The PJS called for these practices and crimes to stop immediately, and urged international human rights organisations and medical relief organisations to support the protection of Palestinian journalists.
The IFJ condemned the latest attack against Palestinian journalists and urged the authorities to launch a thorough investigation into the grave incident and clarify the alleged involvement of a vehicle from the Israeli ambulance service. The culture of impunity for those who attack journalists and media workers, either Israeli soldiers, police officers or settlers, must end.
Following the escalation of violence against the Palestinian people, including journalists and media workers, on July 11 the Global Unions demanded the UN to protect the lives of Palestinians.It also called on the labour movement to pressure companies, employers and investors that facilitate the expansion and continuation of illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied territories to end this practice.