UN: Israel Impunity Linked to Journalist Deaths in Lebanon, Gaza & West Bank

United Nations experts have called for an independent investigation into the recent killing of three journalists by Israel in southern Lebanon, citing a pattern of impunity in attacks on media workers. The call comes amid rising concerns over press freedom and the safety of journalists covering conflicts in the region.

The journalists – Fatima Ftouni of Al Mayadeen, her brother Mohamad Ftouni, a freelance photojournalist, and Ali Shoaib of Al-Manar – were killed in a targeted strike on their car on March 28, according to Al Jazeera. The UN experts denounced the incident as “another egregious attack on press freedom by Israeli forces.”

Pattern of Impunity

UN special rapporteurs Irene Khan, Morris Tidball-Binz, and Ben Saul stated that journalists operating in conflict zones are civilians and should not be targeted. They emphasized that the deliberate killing of journalists not directly involved in hostilities constitutes a serious violation of international human rights and humanitarian law, potentially amounting to a war crime.

“The deliberate killing of journalists not directly participating in hostilities constitutes a serious violation of international human rights and humanitarian law and a war crime,”

UN special rapporteurs Irene Khan, Morris Tidball-Binz and Ben Saul

The experts further asserted that Israel appears “emboldened by impunity” for previous killings of journalists in Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank, as reported by the UN Human Rights Office. This claim suggests a systemic issue of accountability regarding attacks on journalists in the region.

Rising Journalist Casualties

The UN experts highlighted the alarming number of journalists and media workers killed in recent years. According to available data, at least 231 journalists and media workers have been killed by Israel since 2023, with 210 fatalities in Gaza and 11 in Lebanon. This figure underscores the heightened risks faced by media professionals covering the ongoing conflicts.

Israel has accused Ali Shoaib, the Al-Manar journalist killed in the strike, of being a fighter with Hezbollah, but has not provided any evidence to support this claim, according to Al Jazeera. This accusation raises concerns about the justification used for the attack and the potential targeting of journalists based on their affiliation with certain media outlets.

Al Mayadeen and Al-Manar are identified as pro-Hezbollah media outlets. The UN’s call for an investigation comes as international scrutiny intensifies regarding the protection of journalists and the need for accountability in cases of attacks on media workers in conflict zones.

The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from press freedom organizations and human rights groups, who are urging a thorough and impartial investigation to ensure that those responsible are held accountable. The UN’s intervention adds further weight to these calls for justice and underscores the importance of protecting journalists’ rights to report freely and safely, even in the most dangerous environments.