Journalist attacks under scrutiny as Israeli envoy justifies military action
In the ongoing Israeli-Gaza conflict, the Israeli ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, has defended a controversial airstrike that targeted Al-Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif, who was among six people killed in the incident.
Speaking to the TV station "Welt" on Tuesday, Prosor stated that the airstrike was necessary due to the use of civilians as human shields in schools, hospitals, and mosques, a situation Israel cannot allow. However, he did not specify whether the civilians killed in the airstrike were being used as human shields.
The ambassador also promised further clarification regarding the six other people also killed in the airstrike.
Israel has been at war for nearly two years, and the ongoing conflict has resulted in a significant number of journalist deaths, with Al-Jazeera and other sources reporting targeted attacks on journalists. The death of Anas al-Sharif and other journalists has been condemned as a "targeted assassination" by Al-Jazeera.
Prosor accused Al-Jazeera and journalist Anas al-Sharif of incitement since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. However, he did not confirm or deny the allegations against Anas al-Sharif being a leader of a Hamas terror cell.
The international response to these incidents includes condemnation from various groups and organizations. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has denounced the attacks as a deliberate attempt to suppress reporting and cover up Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank. Al-Jazeera and other media outlets have called for an end to targeting journalists, emphasizing that such actions are war crimes under international law.
The United Nations and other international bodies have also been involved in discussions about the protection of journalists and the need for accountability for such attacks. However, specific responses from major international powers have varied, with some nations expressing concern over the targeting of civilians and journalists, while others have been more muted in their response.
Given the ongoing nature of the conflict, the international community has been urged to take stronger action to protect journalists and civilians in the region.
References: 1. Al-Jazeera (2023). Israel accused of targeting Al-Jazeera journalists. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/20/israel-accused-of-targeting-al-jazeera-journalists 2. Committee to Protect Journalists (2023). Israel/Palestine: Deadly attacks on journalists must stop. Retrieved from https://cpj.org/2023/10/israel-palestine-deadly-attacks-on-journalists-must-stop.php
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