on the israeli countering of ' cameras as kryptonite'

In the land where Jesus Christ was born today, there is no Freedom to be found. Not even for the Press. Certainly not for the descendants of the people he was born amongst.

The Kryptonite effect of Cameras in the Colonised and  Occupied,Territories  is being countered by more violence against those who carry them. Even the accredited Press.

 B’Tselem also requested that the Israeli military take action against the soldiers who attacked the photographers and disrupted media documentation.

B’Tselem’s letter was written in light of an incident in which Israeli soldiers attacked Reuters’ photographers in Hebron, stripped them and threw tear gas canisters at them.

In recent years, video documentation of human rights violations in the territories has become one of the most effective tools for safeguarding human rights. Video documentation lends corroboration to Palestinians’ claims of rights breached, provides evidence for criminal investigations and illustrates the harsh reality of life under occupation. Finally, since the launching of the B’Tselem camera project, which distributes video cameras to Palestinians living in high-friction areas, especially in Hebron city Center, experience shows that the presence of cameras often helps to defuse situations and prevents needless violence.

According to the report, their car was clearly marked ‘TV’ and both were wearing blue flak jackets with ‘Press’ emblazoned on the front.

http://www.btselem.org/press_releases/20121218_allow_video_documentation

According to the report, their car was clearly marked ‘TV’ and both were wearing blue flak jackets with ‘Press’ emblazoned on the front.

The two claim that the soldiers forced them to leave the vehicle and punched them, striking them with the butts of their guns. The troops accused them of working for an Israeli NGO,B’Tselem, which documents human rights violations in the West Bank, the Reuters cameramen said.

The soldiers did not let the men produce their official ID papers and forced them to strip down to their underwear, making them kneel on the road with their hands behind their heads, the cameramen claim.

The photographers further claimed that one of the soldiers then dropped a tear gas canister between the men and the IDF patrol ran away. The four journalists scrambled clear and Jamal and Wazwaz got to their car, which had rapidly filled up with tear gas.

They tried to drive away, but said they only got around 200 meters before they had to stop and exit the vehicle because of the choking gas. The soldiers then fired more tear gas in their direction.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4319794,00.html