UN Experts Demand Probe Into Israel's Killing of Lebanese Journalists

UN experts are urging an independent investigation into Israel's killing of two Lebanese journalists during the 2006 Lebanon war, saying the country has been 'emboldened by impunity' for previous attacks on journalists in Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank.

The UN Special Rapporteurs on freedom of expression and extrajudicial killings said in a statement that the deaths of Layal Najib and Ghazi Kassem raise serious concerns about Israel's respect for press freedom and the right to life. They called on Israel to conduct a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation into the killings and hold those responsible accountable.

The two Lebanese journalists were killed on July 23, 2006 when their TV van was hit by an Israeli airstrike near the southern village of Qlaileh. Najib, a 20-year-old reporter for Al-Jazeera, and Kassem, a 35-year-old cameraman for Al-Manar TV, were among at least 28 civilians killed that day in the attack.

The UN experts said Israel's military has a history of failing to properly investigate attacks on journalists, and that impunity for such killings has emboldened the country to continue targeting media workers. They cited several other cases of journalists being killed or injured by Israeli forces in Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank.

The UN experts called on Israel to fulfill its obligations under international human rights law to protect the right to life and respect press freedom. They said impunity for attacks on journalists is a violation of these fundamental rights, and undermines the ability of the media to report on conflicts and human rights issues.

The killings of Najib and Kassem occurred during Israel's 2006 war with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel has never held any soldiers or officials accountable for the deaths of the two journalists, nor for numerous other civilian casualties during the 33-day conflict.

The UN experts said Israel's failure to properly investigate and hold perpetrators accountable has allowed a culture of impunity to persist, emboldening the military to continue targeting and killing media workers with little consequence. They urged Israel to take concrete steps to end this pattern and protect journalists covering conflicts and human rights issues in the region.