Armed Israeli settlers beat 58-year-old AFP photographer Jaafar Ashtie near the Palestinian settlement of Aqraba in the northern occupied West Bank. The journalist was hit on the head and body with rifle butts as he tried to get into a car clearly marked “Press“.
Ashtie and his colleague John Wessels were in the area to film the olive harvest. During their work, they saw an Israeli soldier detaining a Palestinian in an olive grove.
Then, a man on a motorbike drove off at high speed from a nearby hill and opened fire with live ammunition. One of the locals was injured and later taken to hospital. After the first shots, at least six armed men approached the journalists and continued to shoot as they went.
When Ashtie tried to get into the car, two attackers knocked him down and began hitting him with the butts of their rifles. The photographer suffered multiple injuries and was taken to hospital.
According to John Wessels, at least ten armed Israeli soldiers were about 500 metres from the scene. "The military observed the attack but did not intervene in any way," he said.
AFP demands full investigation
AFP's global director Phil Chetwynd condemned the attack and demanded an investigation into the actions of the settlers and the military who were nearby.
“We strongly condemn yet another serious attack on journalists trying to cover events in the West Bank and demand a full investigation. It is completely unacceptable that armed settlers are beating and robbing journalists in front of Israeli security forces who have not even tried to intervene,” said Phil Chetwynd.The Foreign Press Association also called on Israeli authorities to investigate why the military on the ground did not intervene. The organization described the attack as an attempt to intimidate the media and prevent coverage of violence against Palestinians.
Tensions during the olive harvest
The olive harvest is a major source of income for many Palestinian families. Every year, farmers report attacks, the setting of olive groves on fire and the blocking of access to their lands.
The West Bank, which Israel occupied in 1967, is home to about 500,000 Israeli settlers. Under international law, Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are illegal. Human rights organizations have repeatedly stated that attacks on Palestinians often go unpunished.
Sources: pravda.com.ua, theguardian.com