Lebanon: IFJ condemns the killing of three journalists by Israel in southern Lebanon

On 28 March, Three Lebanese journalists - Ali Shaib, Fatima Ftouni and Mohammad Ftouni - were killed in a targeted Israeli drone strike on a media car in Jezzine, southern Lebanon. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its two Lebanese affiliates, the Lebanese Editors' Union and the Lebanese Journalists' Union, in condemning in the strongest possible terms these killings by Israel.

Fatima Ftouni and Ali Shaib (pictured), along with the cameraman, Mohammad Ftouni, were shot dead by the Israeli army. Photo: DR.

Lebanese journalists, Ali Shaib, Fatima Ftouni and Mohammad Ftouni, who worked for the Al-Mayadeen and Al-Manar television channels, were killed in an Israeli military drone strike in Jezzine, southern Lebanon, on 28 March. Al-Mayadeen reportedthat the journalists were on assignment when their clearly marked press vehicle was targeted.

Following the attack, the Israeli military acknowledgedthat they had targeted and killed journalist Ali Shaib, alleging that he "served as a terrorist in the Hezbollah terror organisation".

Lebanon's president, Joseph Aoun, condemnedthe killing of the journalists as "a blatant crime that violates all the norms and treaties under which journalists enjoy international protection in wars".

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: "Journalists are civilians protected by international humanitarian law. By deliberately targeting these three media professionals, the State of Israel is once again seriously violating this law. The IFJ demands an independent international investigation so that those responsible can be identified and prosecuted. Impunity for crimes committed against journalists must end, and the United Nations must urgently adopt a Convention against Impunity and for the Protection of Journalists."

The president of the Lebanese Editors' Union, Joseph Al-Qasif, said: "We condemn this massacre perpetrated by Israel against our two male colleagues and our female colleague. This is yet another atrocity against journalists who were carrying out their duty to inform. The targeting of media professionals constitutes a clear-cut crime and a flagrant violation of international standards."

President of the Union of Lebanese Journalists (UJL), Elsy Moufarrej, added: "We condemn this clear-cut war crime committed by Israel against journalists on assignment. We call on the Lebanese state to assume its responsibilities and take immediate action: to document the crimes, launch investigations, adopt a law criminalising war crimes and accept the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court."

On 18 March, an Israeli airstrike on central Beirut killedMohammad Sherri, Al Manar's political programmes director, and his wife.