Saturday, August 06, 2011

Media: NATO and Israel Assault Journalists

By Nirode Masson Courtesy
IDN-InDepth NewsReport

LONDON (IDN) - In two separate incidents, NATO has bombed and Israel fired teargas grenades at journalists in brazen violation of a Security Council resolution, stirring a global coalition for safety of news media staff working in dangerous environments asking UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to investigate the assaults.

According to media reports, NATO air strike on the Tripoli headquarters of state broadcaster Al-Jamahiriya on July 30 killed three media staff and wounded 21. One day earlier, on July 29, at the start of the weekly Palestinian demonstration in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, Israeli army infantry reservists opened fire with riot-control weapons on a group of some ten photo journalists, the the blog +972 and other sources reported.

Confirming agency reports, the spokesperson for NATO Operation Unified Protector, Colonel Roland Lavoie, said in a statement posted on NATO website on July 30: "A few hours ago, NATO conducted a precision air strike that disabled three ground-based Libyan state TV satellite transmission dishes in Tripoli."

"The strike," it added, "performed by NATO fighter aircraft using state-of-the art precision guided munitions, was conducted in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 1973, with the intent of degrading Qadhafi's use of satellite television as a means to intimidate the Libyan people and incite acts of violence against them."

The spokesperson went on to say: "Our intervention was necessary as TV was being used as an integral component of the regime apparatus designed to systematically oppress and threaten civilians and to incite attacks against them. Qadhafi’s increasing practice of inflammatory broadcasts illustrates his regime’s policy to instill hatred amongst Libyans, to mobilize its supporters against civilians and to trigger bloodshed."

The NATO spokesperson insisted: "In light of our mandate to protect civilian lives, we had to act. After due consideration and careful planning to minimize the risks of casualties or long-term damage to television transmission capabilities, NATO performed the strike and we are now in the process of assessing its effect. Striking specifically these critical satellite dishes will reduce the regime's ability to oppress civilians while at the same time preserve television broadcast infrastructure that will be needed after the conflict."

The statement then assured: "NATO will continue to take appropriate measures to enforce the UN mandate and to protect the lives of the people of Libya."

Responding to NATO official statement, Rodney Pinder, director of the International News Safety Institute (INSI) stated: "NATO forces in Libya are acting under a Security Council mandate to protect civilians and journalists are civilians. Attacks such as the one on Libyan state television cannot be excused on the basis that you disagree with the point of view of the news organisation or find fault with the work done by its employees That is why we are asking the Secretary General to investigate and report on these incidents."

INSI is evoking UN Security Council Resolution 1738, which calls on all member states to protect journalists and media staff working in conflict zones.

INSI is pointing out that in times of war and conflict, journalists are regarded as civilians and are protected under the Geneva conventions. In addition, UN Resolution 1738 passed unanimously in 2006 condemned acts of violence against journalists and other media personnel in conflict situations and called for an end to such practises.

In Israel, INSI said in a statement on August 5, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) soldiers had just repelled a march of several dozen Palestinian, Israeli and foreign protesters with a few rounds of tear gas grenades and forced them back towards the village's central square and out of view, according to reports. The only individuals on the street visible to the soldiers at this time were photographers. They carried multiple still and video cameras and tripods and they wore unique blue flak jackets and helmets marked PRESS or TV.

"Nevertheless, soldiers began firing riot-control weapons (primarily rifle-fired tear gas canisters and gas grenades) directly at journalists. The sustained attack on the journalists, who work for Israeli, Palestinian and foreign media outlets, lasted between three and five minutes," reported Mati Milstein, a free lance U.S. photo journalist in the blog +972.

Milstein reported: "Photojournalists working in the West Bank are used to being caught in the cross-fire, and are sometimes hit by rocks thrown by Palestinians or by various types of ammunition fired by Israeli troops. This is part and parcel of the job and rarely does anyone make an issue of it."

But, Milstein added: "This is the first time I am speaking publicly about any perceived abuse of the media by any side involved in this conflict . . . (because) the attack of 29 July was intentional and sustained and the troops were fully aware of what they were doing. I had never before come under a sustained, direct and intentional attack by an Israeli military force aimed directly at me and at fellow journalists."

INSI Director Pinder said: "It is doubly disturbing when attacks on journalists and news organisations are staged by democracies who assert the fundamental human right of free speech and freedom of information. Even if there were no casualties, an air raid on a broadcaster must be expected to kill or injure civilians."

He called on "NATO and the IDF to respect the safety of journalists and allow them to go about their business free from harm or threat of harm."

NATO was condemned by an International Criminal Court commission of inquiry for bombing Serbian television headquarters in 1999. The commission ruled that the broadcaster's propaganda activities did not suffice to make it a legitimate military target.

"Once it becomes acceptable for one side in a conflict to target journalists and media for reasons of propaganda, it puts all journalists working in conflict zones at risk. Propaganda is deplorable, but under international law it is not an excuse for killing journalists or attacking unarmed media staff," said Pinder.

Military necessity, along with distinction, and proportionality, are three important principles of international humanitarian law governing the legal use of force in an armed conflict and how that relates to collateral damage.