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Israeli troops advance during clashes in the Qalandia refugee camp last Friday Photo: AP
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Foreign Press Association claims troops directly targeted photographers covering unrest at crossing between Jerusalem and Ramallah.



AFP

5:20AM GMT 02 Dec 2013

The Foreign Press Association on Sunday accused the Israeli army of "deliberately targeting" journalists after soldiers fired rubber bullets and threw stun grenades at photojournalists clearly identified as press.

In a statement, the Tel Aviv-based group, which represents journalists of all foreign media, including AFP, said troops had directly targeted a group of photographers covering skirmishes at Qalandia crossing between Jerusalem and Ramallah.

"On Friday afternoon, Israeli forces threw stun grenades at FPA photojournalists as they were leaving Qalandia. The FPA members had put their hands in the air, indicating to the forces that they were leaving at which point the grenades were thrown from close quarters directly at their backs," it said.

Earlier an Italian freelance photographer covering the same incident had almost been hit in the face by a rubber bullet, it said.

"Fortunately the photographer was taking pictures at the time and the rubber bullet shattered the camera instead of his head. All the photographers in question wore clearly-marked jackets and helmets," the FPA said.