Press Releases

08/13/2008

Israel clears troops in death of journalist

By JOSEF FEDERMAN
Associated Press Writer

JERUSALEM (AP) -- The Israeli army has closed an investigation into the death of a Reuters cameraman in the Gaza Strip last April, clearing the tank crew that killed the young journalist of any wrongdoing and saying the soldiers will not face disciplinary action.

Reuters said it was "deeply disturbed" by the findings and was considering unspecified legal action, while Israel's Foreign Press Association warned the army probe could encourage further violence against journalists.

The army found that troops acted properly when they opened fire on Fadel Shana, suspecting he was a militant preparing to fire a missile after he set up a tripod in a Gaza battle zone. Shana, 24, was killed instantly by a tank shell that sprays a hail of metal darts at its target. Four bystanders also died in the attack.

In a statement issued at its London headquarters, Reuters said the army probe could effectively give soldiers a "free hand to kill," without being sure of the identity of their targets.

Shana was killed on April 16 while covering clashes between Gaza militants and Israeli troops. Just before his death, Shana was filming an Israeli tank about one mile away, and his final video showed it firing a shell in his direction. The video cut off just as the shell burst in front of him.

In its report, the army said the tank commander sought permission to open fire after spotting a small group of people attaching an unidentified black object to a tripod and pointing it toward the tank.

The Foreign Press Association, which represents international news organizations operating in Israel and the Palestinian territories, expressed dismay over the findings saying they were the latest in a long line of cases clearing soldiers of deadly negligence.
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AP correspondent Meera Selva in London contributed to this report.