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Since occupation began in June 1967, Israel pursued a policy of silencing Palestinian dissent. Journalists and media institutions suffer grievously.
In the last decade, Israeli occupation forces murdered 18 Palestinian journalists and two foreign ones.
On Nakba Day 2011, Mohammed Othman was shot. He was photographing Israeli soldiers brutalizing nonviolent Palestinian demonstrators. He worked for Reuters and AFP.
He witnessed dozens of injured Palestinians. "It was bloody and got worse after live ammunition was used," he said.
An Israeli soldier shot him. The bullet entered his chest and "exploded" inside. It destroyed two discs and injured his spinal cord. As a result, he's paralyzed. He always expected something like this to happen, he said. He witnessed other journalists being shot.
His colleagues expressed solidarity. They know they could be next. Othman said he wants to do what he loves best. Nothing ahead will be easy for him.
MADA's Rimawi said Israel targets more than journalists. Palestinian media institutions are threatened. Raids confiscate their equipment. Their property and facilities are destroyed. They incur large financial losses. Some are shut down entirely.
Israel at times bombs Palestinian and international media facilities. Homes of journalists are demolished. During Cast Lead, Gaza's Aqsa TV was totally destroyed. Program director Aqsa Samir Abu Muheisen said:
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