Hamas attacked Israel fearing

artappraiser — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 07:56:01 +0000

In reply to Hamas fires mortars at southern Israel

Hamas attacked Israel fearing Palestinian reconciliation
By Avi Issacharoff and Amos Harel, Ha'aretz, March 20, 2011
Despite the escalation, it seems for now that neither Israel nor Hamas is seeking a broad confrontation.

Gaza journalists demand end

artappraiser — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 07:53:17 +0000

In reply to Hamas fires mortars at southern Israel

Gaza journalists demand end to Hamas assaults
Agence France Presse via Al Arabiya, March, 19, 2011

GAZA CITY

Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip protested to the territory's Hamas rulers on Saturday after security forces assaulted a local TV cameraman.

A delegation met interior minister Fathi Hammad and government press officials after police stormed the local office of international news agency Reuters and broke the hand of Palestinian cameraman Abed Shanna, who was filming from the roof.

Colleagues said police were seeking to stop him recording images of security forces in a square below breaking up a protest by youngsters calling for reconciliation between rivals Hamas and Fatah, which controls the West Bank.

The local journalists' union said police in the square harassed news photographers and confiscated materials and equipment.

The Foreign Press Association, which represents foreign media staff in Israel and the Palestinian territories, said several news organizations’ employees were attacked.

"During a small protest, Hamas forces beat up an Associated Press Middle East Services cameraman and briefly detained him and his driver," a statement said.

"Hamas forces then ransacked the Reuters office in the city in searching for video evidence of this abuse. Reuters equipment was vandalized and employees were beaten and intimidated, with Hamas forces threatening to throw one worker out of the window," it said.

The statement said CNN television and Japanese broadcaster NHK experienced similar raids.

"We demand that these tactics -- which run counter to the rule of law and to the basic norms of legitimate government behavior -- cease immediately," it said.

Spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement after the meeting between journalists and Hammad that Hamas pledged to prevent a repetition of such actions.

"The Hamas movement condemns aggression against journalists and media in Gaza," it said.

"Aggression against journalists is unacceptable and we are asking the government to set up immediately a committee of inquiry and to stop all aggression against journalists."

On Tuesday, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of the Palestinian territories to demand that Hamas and Fatah end their bitter enmity.

But despite leaders of the two movements agreeing to meet, the Islamist group has since used force and threatening acts to disperse several follow-up demonstrations in Gaza.

On Saturday, New York-based watchdog Human Rights Watch called on Hamas to punish those responsible for violence against protesters.

"It is a dismal reflection on Hamas that it is violently cracking down on peaceful demonstrators calling for political reconciliation," said Sarah Leah Whitson, the organisation's Middle East director.

"This is just the latest instance of Hamas assaulting Palestinians’ fundamental freedoms," it said, citing testimony of protesters and bystanders who said security forces used batons and cattle-prods, fired into the air and rode motorcycles at people.

"Local authorities aren’t fooling anyone by hiding behind thugs who assault protesters," it said. "The Palestinian people deserve leaders, whether Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, who will respect their basic rights."

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Hamas attacked Israel fearing

Gaza journalists demand end