Israeli settlers beat AFP photographer covering West Bank violence
AI generated
AQRABA, Palestinian Territories -
asserted
settlers → beat → violence
Israeli settlers on Oct 6 beat an AFP photographer and fired guns in the direction of him and a colleague as they covered ongoing violence by settlers against West Bank olive farmers.
asserted
they → beat → farmers
Jaafar Ashtiyeh, 58, a veteran photographer for the international news agency in the Palestinian territory, suffered bruises to his head and torso and was taken by ambulance to a hospital, according to witnesses, his family and fellow journalists.
uncertain
Ashtiyeh → suffer → witnesses
Ashtiyeh and another AFP photographer, John Wessels, were near the northern village of Aqraba where they noticed an Israeli soldier detaining a man as local Palestinians picked olives.
asserted
Palestinians → notice → olives
A quad bike suddenly raced towards the AFP journalists on top of the hill and a man from it opened live fire, with one Palestinian dropping to the ground.
asserted
Palestinian → race → ground
He was also hospitalised, with a gunshot to the foot, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
uncertain
He → hospitalise → Society
At least six other people then rushed towards the AFP journalists firing guns.
asserted
people → rush → guns
As Ashtiyeh attempted to enter a car, two men jumped on him and beat him repeatedly with guns.
“I could hear his screams,” said Wessels, who was also threatened at gunpoint.
uncertain
who → attempt → gunpoint
Ashtiyeh, who is Palestinian, is conscious and under 24-hour supervision at a hospital in Nablus, where he will undergo X-rays, said his son, Zain Jaafar.
asserted
son → undergo → rays
The assailants also took his camera equipment, Wessels said.
asserted
Wessels → take → equipment
The violence took place despite the presence of at least a dozen fully equipped Israeli soldiers around 500m away, according to Wessels.
uncertain
violence → take → Wessels
The man who initially fired the gun was wearing a long white shirt as well as military fatigue trousers and boots, which are commonly worn by soldiers, Wessels said.
asserted
Wessels → fire → soldiers
AFP has reached out to the Israeli military for comment.
asserted
AFP → reach → comment
“We strongly condemn yet another serious attack on journalists trying to report on events in the West Bank and demand a full investigation.
asserted
We → condemn → investigation
It is unacceptable that journalists can be beaten and robbed by armed settlers in front of Israeli security forces who made no attempt to intervene,” said Phil Chetwynd, AFP’s global news director.
asserted
Chetwynd → beat → attempt
Violence has flared in recent months in the West Bank with near-daily attacks, thefts or vandalism by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.
asserted
Violence → flare → Palestinians
There have also been attacks against Israelis, with a Palestinian shooting dead a settler in September.
asserted
Palestinian → shoot → September
Extremist Israeli settlers have been seizing olive groves owned by Palestinians, who see the trees as a cultural symbol.
asserted
who → seize → symbol
Some 500,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank, which Israel captured in 1967, among three million Palestinians.
asserted
Israel → live → Palestinians
Settlements in occupied territory are illegal under international law.
asserted
Settlements → occupy → law
Media rights groups say that Israeli settlers have increasingly targeted journalists and that authorities have imposed growing impediments to coverage.
asserted
authorities → say → coverage
Israeli authorities have detained 19 journalists in the West Bank, including one AFP contributor, in the three years since the Oct 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Gaza-based Hamas, according to Paris-based Reporters Without Borders. AFP
uncertain
authorities → detain → Borders
The Aporia
