blake 3:17
9th April 2013, 15:11
PHOTOS: Israeli troops shoot Palestinian photographer in the face
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES
Israeli soldiers target a Palestinian photographer who was taking pictures of them invading Aida Refugee Camp, shooting him in the face with a rubber-coated steel bullet.
Mohammad Al-Azza rests in the hospital the morning after being shot in the face with a rubber-coated steel bullet by Israeli forces in Aida Refguee Camp. Beit Jala, West Bank, April 9, 2013. Al-Azza underwent two surgeries to remove the bullet, which lodged in his cheek below his right eye and fractured his skull. He is expected to make a full recovery. (photo by: Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Activestills.org)
At about 5:30 p.m. Monday, Israeli soldiers entered Aida Refugee Camp through a gate in the separation wall dividing Rachel’s Tomb from Bethlehem. There were no clashes at the time, and their presence in the camp was not provoked, but was itself a provocation.
Mohammad Al-Azza began photographing the advancing soldiers from the second-floor balcony of the Lajee Center, a children’s center near the camp entrance where he has long volunteered in the media unit. He was eager to use the center’s new camera, a Canon 600D with a 50-250mm zoom lens.
Israeli troops approach Aida Refugee Camp from their base behind the separation wall near Rachel’s Tomb. (photo by: Guest photographer Mohammad Al-Azza)
As he was photographing, one of the soldiers shouted at him in Arabic to “Go home!” Mohammad replied, “Why? I’m only taking pictures!” The soldiers continued shouting at him, “Go inside! Go inside!”
Mohammad replied, “No, I will not go! As you have a gun and shoot at children, I have a camera and I’m taking pictures—I do nothing to you!”
The soldiers, who became angrier continued threatening Mohammad with their guns. Mohammad decided to go inside, but continued taking photos through the window and through the doorway opened just wide enough for his camera lens to fit through.
The last photo taken by Mohammad Al-Azza before he was shot in the face by the soldier pictured. (photo by: Guest photographer Mohammad Al-Azza)
By this time, a few youth from the camp were throwing stones, while the soldiers fired rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas grenades into the camp. However, with many arrests and shootings by Israeli forces in the camp in recent months, the response from camp residents was smaller than usual. Two children in the Aida Camp have been shot with live ammunition by Israeli forces in recent months, one of them fatally.
About 10 minutes after Mohammad had exited the balcony, a soldier with a tear gas gun shouted again at Mohammad to stop taking photos through the partially opened door. His final photo, above, shows a soldier aiming an M16 rifle outfitted for rubber bullets. As Mohammad turned to leave the doorway, this soldier fired a rubber-coated steel bullet which penetrated Mohammad’s cheek below the right eye and fractured his skull.
http://972mag.com/photos-palestinian-photographer-shot-in-the-face-by-israeli-troops/68897/
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES
Israeli soldiers target a Palestinian photographer who was taking pictures of them invading Aida Refugee Camp, shooting him in the face with a rubber-coated steel bullet.
Mohammad Al-Azza rests in the hospital the morning after being shot in the face with a rubber-coated steel bullet by Israeli forces in Aida Refguee Camp. Beit Jala, West Bank, April 9, 2013. Al-Azza underwent two surgeries to remove the bullet, which lodged in his cheek below his right eye and fractured his skull. He is expected to make a full recovery. (photo by: Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Activestills.org)
At about 5:30 p.m. Monday, Israeli soldiers entered Aida Refugee Camp through a gate in the separation wall dividing Rachel’s Tomb from Bethlehem. There were no clashes at the time, and their presence in the camp was not provoked, but was itself a provocation.
Mohammad Al-Azza began photographing the advancing soldiers from the second-floor balcony of the Lajee Center, a children’s center near the camp entrance where he has long volunteered in the media unit. He was eager to use the center’s new camera, a Canon 600D with a 50-250mm zoom lens.
Israeli troops approach Aida Refugee Camp from their base behind the separation wall near Rachel’s Tomb. (photo by: Guest photographer Mohammad Al-Azza)
As he was photographing, one of the soldiers shouted at him in Arabic to “Go home!” Mohammad replied, “Why? I’m only taking pictures!” The soldiers continued shouting at him, “Go inside! Go inside!”
Mohammad replied, “No, I will not go! As you have a gun and shoot at children, I have a camera and I’m taking pictures—I do nothing to you!”
The soldiers, who became angrier continued threatening Mohammad with their guns. Mohammad decided to go inside, but continued taking photos through the window and through the doorway opened just wide enough for his camera lens to fit through.
The last photo taken by Mohammad Al-Azza before he was shot in the face by the soldier pictured. (photo by: Guest photographer Mohammad Al-Azza)
By this time, a few youth from the camp were throwing stones, while the soldiers fired rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas grenades into the camp. However, with many arrests and shootings by Israeli forces in the camp in recent months, the response from camp residents was smaller than usual. Two children in the Aida Camp have been shot with live ammunition by Israeli forces in recent months, one of them fatally.
About 10 minutes after Mohammad had exited the balcony, a soldier with a tear gas gun shouted again at Mohammad to stop taking photos through the partially opened door. His final photo, above, shows a soldier aiming an M16 rifle outfitted for rubber bullets. As Mohammad turned to leave the doorway, this soldier fired a rubber-coated steel bullet which penetrated Mohammad’s cheek below the right eye and fractured his skull.
http://972mag.com/photos-palestinian-photographer-shot-in-the-face-by-israeli-troops/68897/