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🇦🇹 Austria /Conflict & Security

AFP Seeks Answers from Israel Over Deadly 2023 Lebanon Attack

From Der Standard · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • AFP is demanding precise and detailed answers from Israel regarding an attack in Lebanon in 2023 that killed a Reuters journalist.
  • The news agency's information director wrote to the Israeli ambassador in France, seeking clarification after the ambassador attributed responsibility to the army.
  • The incident involved an attack on several reporters, with the Israeli ambassador suggesting soldiers mistook them for terrorists.

The news agency AFP is demanding precise and detailed answers from Israel concerning an attack in Lebanon last year that resulted in the death of a Reuters journalist. AFP's Information Director, Phil Chetwynd, formally requested clarification in a letter addressed to Joshua Zarka, the Israeli ambassador to France.

Chetwynd stated that AFP requires "precise and detailed answers" regarding what Israel has termed a "mistake." This demand follows statements by the Israeli ambassador, who reportedly attributed responsibility for the attack to the Israeli army. The attack targeted several reporters in Lebanon in October 2023, leading to the death of Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah.

While the ambassador's remarks suggested the soldiers involved may have mistaken the journalists for terrorists, AFP is seeking a more thorough explanation. The news agency's request underscores concerns about press freedom and the safety of journalists operating in conflict zones.

AFP demands precise and detailed answers to what you have called 'mistakes'.

— Phil ChetwyndAFP's Information Director, in a letter to the Israeli ambassador to France.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Der Standard in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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