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DW's Limbourg: "Israel must ensure safety of journalists"

On July 4, a DW correspondent from the DW office in Jerusalem and a DW cameraman were pelted with large stones and chased by Israeli settlers north of Ramallah, during an attack on the village of Sinjil.

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They managed to reach safety without physical injuries, but the cameraman's car was severely damaged: a window was shattered and the bodywork was dented. 

DW Director General Peter Limbourg: "DW condemns this attack on our colleagues who had traveled to Sinjil to cover a planned protest against settler violence. We are relieved that they were not physically injured in the attack and were able to get to safety. There is no justification for this attack. We strongly demand that the Israeli government guarantee the safety of all journalists in the West Bank. Freedom of the press – and therefore the safety of journalists – is an indispensable pillar of any democracy."

The West Bank has been occupied since 1967. The village of Sinjil is located on the Ramallah-Nablus Highway and has been completely sealed off by the Israeli military with a metal fence, steel gates and roadblock with an Israeli army checkpoint. 

Other journalists, mainly Palestinians, also had to flee. In addition to DW, other international media were on location to report, including AFP, the New York Times and the Washington Post. The DW employees wore press vests and were therefore clearly recognizable as media professionals.