The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) strongly condemns the Israeli occupation force’s attack on Al-ayyam newspaper editor Ahmad Farraj yesterday 15 May 2010, on Hizma checkpoint while he was going to Ramallah city. MADA also condemns Alsharqiya cameraman Ala’ Abu Alsu’od arrest, and Palestine TV correspondent Haroon Amayreh gas suffocation, while they were covering Bili’n weekly march near Ramallah on Friday 14 May 2010.

Farraj said that he was heading to Ramallah by Taxi about 12:00 PM, and when the Taxi reached Hizma checkpoint, the soldiers asked the passengers to give them their identities cards, then they ordered Farraj to disembark the Taxi, and when he showed them his press card, they disembark him and beat him brutally by hands and rifle butts. Farraj added: “I was bruised on all over my body especially in my hands and legs." 

Abu Alsu’od said that he went to cover the Bili’n weekly march, and while he was filming, the Israeli soldiers arrested him and transferred him to Ofer investigation center. He was detained there from 12:30 PM until 9:00 PM

According to Amayreh he said that he was making an interview with General Major Sultan Abu Al’nen in Bili’n, and during the interview, the Israeli occupation forces fired tear gas canisters on them, so Amayreh suffered severe difficulty in breathing due to gas inhalation, leading him to loss of consciousness for a short period, where the medical relief volunteers who was in the region provided him the necessary treatment.

-          Contact:

-          Riham Abu Aita
Public Relation Officer
Ramallah
riham@madacenter.org
www.madacenter.org

-          00970 2 2976519