On Tuesday, Israeli settlers beat up a photojournalist from the French News Agency (AFP) on Tuesday and fired shots in his direction and at a colleague of his while they were covering ongoing violence by settlers against Palestinians harvesting olives in the West Bank, the agency reports.
Jafar Astiye, 58, an experienced photographer for the international news agency in the Palestinian territories, suffered bruises to his head and torso and was taken by ambulance to a hospital, according to eyewitnesses, members of his family, and fellow journalists, the agency reports.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
It reports that Astigye and another AFP photographer, John Wessels, were near the village of Akraba, in the northern part of the West Bank, when they saw an Israeli soldier holding a man while local Palestinians were harvesting olives.
Suddenly, a four-wheeled vehicle sped toward the journalists, who were standing on top of a hill, and a man riding in it began shooting, causing a Palestinian to fall to the ground. The man was also taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.
Subsequently, according to the Agency, at least six more people advanced toward the journalists while firing shots. As Astigye tried to get into a car, two men pounced on him and struck him repeatedly with their guns.
Astigye, who is Palestinian, is conscious and under 24-hour observation at a hospital in Nablus, where he will undergo X-rays, his son said.
The assailants also took his photography equipment, according to Wessels.
The attack occurred despite the presence of at least twelve fully equipped Israeli soldiers about 500 meters away, according to Wessels.
AFP condemned the attack.
Source: KYPE
