Sources in Gaza have confirmed that journalist Yaser Murtaja has died after being shot in the abdomen by an Israeli sniper while covering the protests. He was clearly wearing a vest that identified him as press.
Corbyn: “The silence from international powers with the responsibility of bringing a just settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict must end.”
Common Dreams / 04.07.2018
Yaser Murtaja, a cameraman for Palestinian Ain Media, was wearing a “PRESS” flak jacket as he was shot by an Israeli sniper Friday. He died of his injuries in a hospital on Saturday.
The 30-year-old journalist was one of nine people killed and more than 1,000 injured by Israeli troops Friday on the Gaza border.
Yaser Murtaja was a filmmaker and the founder of Ain Media, a media and art agency which sought to tell the reality of life in Gaza. He was 30-years-old and was shot down by an Israeli sniper while attempting to do his job. pic.twitter.com/FtPhKvEles
— Liam O’Hare (@Liam_O_Hare) April 6, 2018
Thousands of Palestinians continued “The Great March of Return,” the week-long protest on Friday, demanding the right of return of Palestinian refugees to towns and villages from which their families were driven out when Israel was created.
UK’s Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn condemned Israel’s killing of at least 27 Palestinians on the Gaza border as an “outrage” and attacked Western “silence” about the deaths.
In a message read out at a demonstration outside Downing Street on Saturday, the Labour leader demanded that Theresa May support the United Nation’s call for an independent international inquiry.
Britain should also consider stopping the sale of arms to Israel that “could be used in violation of international law,” Corbyn said. “The killing and wounding of yet more unarmed Palestinian protesters yesterday by Israeli forces in Gaza is an outrage. The majority of the people of the Gaza Strip are stateless refugees, subject to a decade-long blockade and the denial of basic human and political rights.”
I feel so sad to have learned about the death of Palestinian photojournalist Yasser Murtaja in Gaza today, killed by Israeli live fire. I was privileged to know Yasser – he was a kind, caring man, who welcomed me in Gaza during 2011. He will be sorely missed. pic.twitter.com/mSYzuIW1s4
— Rori Donaghy (@roridonaghy) April 6, 2018
“They have a right to protest against their appalling conditions and the continuing blockade and occupation of Palestinian land, and in support of their right to return to their homes and their right to self-determination.”
“Firing live ammunition into crowds of unarmed civilians is illegal and inhumane and cannot be tolerated.” Corbyn said he stood in “solidarity” with Israelis who took to the streets to protest their government’s actions and added: “The silence from international powers with the responsibility of bringing a just settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict must end.”
Originally published by Common Dreams under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.