Nazeh Darwazi

Nazeh Adel Darwazi (also spelled Darwazeh; died 19 April 2003), was a Palestinian freelance cameraman for the US news agency Associated Press Television Network (APTN) and Palestinian state television when he was killed in Nablus in the West Bank while reporting by a bullet in the head fired by an Israeli soldier from a distance of about 20 yards (6.9 m) after having pointed his weapon at group of journalists.

Darwazi was one of seven journalists to be killed while reporting on the Second Intifada (2000-2005). Darwazi survived the First Intifada, living in the Nablus casbah. He also survived numerous Israeli incursions into Nablus.

Darwazi worked for The Associated Press for two years. He was also a journalist for Palestinian television.

Death

Eighteen Palestinians were injured by rubber bullets and live fire during clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinians throwing stones.

Nazeh Darwazi was covering the Passover clashes in Nablus for AP when he was killed. He was wearing a yellow jacket marked "press" and was with a group of around six journalists covering fights between the group of Palestinians and Israeli soldiers. Darwazi was 42 years old and left behind his wife Raeda and five children ranging in age from 6 months to 9 years.

Reporters Without Borders investigated the event and found that the army had not interviewed the eyewitnesses.

Context

Some of the journalists who were killed during the Second Intifada (2000-2005) include Raffaele Ciriello, Italian; and Imad Abu Zahra and Issam Tillawi, who were both Palestinian.

Israeli troops arrested several Palestinians in Nablus on suspicion of a planning a potential suicide attack during Passover. Three of the four were arrested around the Old City; the fourth turned himself in at a military checkpoint. In Rafah, five Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops during a raid of a nearby refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip. Twenty-seven people total were wounded in the raid. At the time, Palestinian leader, Yasir Arafat was in a dispute with his handpicked prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, over the formation of a new government.

The Committee to Protect Journalists issued statement about Nazeh Darwazi's death. Joel Simon, CPJ, said, "We demand an immediate and thorough inquiry into the shooting death of Nazih Darwazeh and call on you to ensure that those responsible are swiftly brought to justice."