20 June 2010

The Israeli occupation forces continued its attacks against the journalists, who are covering the peaceful marches in the West Bank, where
they attacked today six journalists: Pal Media cameraman Yousef Shaheen, ABA photographer Najeh Hashlamoun, European Agency (EPA) photographer Abdel-Hafiz Hashlamoun, APA photographer Ma’moun Wazwaz, AP photographer Nasser Al-Shuokhi, France press photographer Mousa Al-Shaér. The accident took place when they were covering a weekly march against the Separation Wall today noon, in Biet Jala town, in the West Bank.

Shaheen said that he was standing with a group of journalists to cover the weekly march events in Biet Jala, and during their coverage, a group of
Israeli soldier approached, cursed, and beat them with sticks on their legs, causing him and some of his colleagues bruises in their legs.
Al-Shuokhi said: “The Israeli soldiers have used a new method to attack us today, where they tried to stop us from filming by beating us with sticks".


“The journalists were directly targeted, where the soldiers left the demonstrators and began to curse and beat us brutally with sticks, causing
physical harm to most of journalists who were in the place" Abdel-Hafiz Hashlamoun comment.

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) condemns the attack on the Palestinian journalists , and demands the International community to pressure the Israeli government to stop these attacks.
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Contact:
- Riham Abu Aita
Public Relation Officer
Ramallah
riham@madacenter.org
www.madacenter.org
00970 2 2976519