Reporters Without Borders outraged by death of Palestinian photographer in Jenin

Palestinian freelance photographer Imad Abu Zahra (photo) died in Jenin today after being seriously wounded yesterday by Israeli army gunfire. "It is intolerable that two journalists have been killed in the past four months by the Israeli army, even more so when Israeli soldiers refused to allow an ambulance to get to the latest victim," said Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Ménard.   "More than 40 journalists have been wounded in shooting by the Israeli army since September 2000 and since Ariel Sharon became prime minister in February last year, 17 journalists have been wounded, 70 have come under fire and 15 foreign or Palestinian media offices have been occupied by the Israeli army. Since the start of Operation Rampart on 29 March this year, at least 30 journalists have been arrested and six of them – all Palestinians – are still being detained. "The Israeli army is acting with complete impunity. This is also intolerable. How many more must die before the army stops attacking the media? "Reporters Without Borders has decided to add Sharon to its worldwide list of predators of press freedom," Ménard said. Abou Zahra, who was 35, died in hospital. The previous day, around midday after the curfew had been lifted, he was in the centre of Jenin with Said el-Dahla (photo), a photographer of the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, when Israeli tanks fired on them without warning, wounding both in the leg. Abuh Zahra was more seriously hurt and lost a lot of blood over more than an hour because Israeli troops refused to allow an ambulance to get to him. He was eventually taken to hospital in a car where he was placed in intensive care (photo). Witnesses said there had been no clash going on when the pair were hit. An Israeli army spokesman said "the mob threw stones and firebombs at the vehicles." Raffaele Ciriello (photo), special correspondent for the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, was killed in Ramallah on 13 March this year, also after being wounded by Israeli gunfire. He was hit by six bullets fired from a tank near al-Manara Square, in the centre of the city.