Lebanon to file UN complaint over killing of Reuters journalist by Israel

A Reuters witness at the scene said journalist, Issam Abdallah, was struck by missiles fired from the direction of Israel that also wounded six others.


REUTERS

Colleagues and friends of Issam Abdallah, a Lebanese national and Reuters videojournalist who was killed in southern Lebanon by shelling from the direction of Israel, mourn over his body during his funeral in his home town of Al Khiyam, Lebanon. / Photo: Reuters

Lebanon has said that it will file a complaint with the UN Security Council over “deliberate killing” by Israel of a Reuters journalist, a Lebanese national.

According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, the Foreign Ministry instructed Lebanon’s permanent mission to the UN to submit a complaint for “deliberate killing” of video journalist Issam Abdullah, who worked for Reuters, and wounding two other journalists working for AFP and Al Jazeera.

These acts “constitutes a blatant attack and a crime against freedom of opinion and the press, human rights, and international humanitarian law, by easily killing unarmed journalists who are victims of their desire to convey the truth, defend it with the lenses of their cameras and pens, and transfer them to the tape of the repeated Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon,” the agency quoted the ministry as saying on Saturday.

The Israeli army said on Saturday it was investigating an incident in southern Lebanon in which a Reuters journalist was killed.

A Reuters witness at the scene has said he was struck by missiles fired from the direction of Israel.

"We are aware of the incident with the Reuters journalist," army spokesman Lt Col Richard Hecht told a regular briefing. "We are looking into it. We already have visuals. We're doing cross examination. It's a tragic thing," he said.

Lebanese army says rocket launched from Israel

The Lebanese army said that according to a preliminary investigation, the rocket launched by the Israeli army towards the Alma Shaab region in southern Lebanon hit a vehicle carrying journalists.

"The Israeli enemy launched a missile which hit a civilian car belonging to a media group which led to the martyrdom of the videographer Issam Abdallah," the army high command said in a statement posted on its website.

One journalist was killed and five journalists were injured in the attack, said the statement.

It also said that Israel fired rockets loaded with phosphorus and heavy artillery towards several towns including, Kefr Shuba, Ayta Shaab, and Adaysa on Friday.

SOURCE: TRTWORLD AND AGENCIES