RAMALLAH, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Ishtaye on Monday accused Israel of targeting journalists, after Palestinian photojournalist Moath Amarneh was severely injured by Israeli gunfire.
"Israel targets journalists to silence the voice of Palestine and the voice of truth, not just by killing Amarneh's eye, but also by brutally assaulting journalists who stood in solidarity with him in Bethlehem on Sunday," Ishtaye said at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting.
Ishtaye covered his left eye in a solidarity move with Amarneh, 32, who was severely injured by a metallic bullet in the eye fired by an Israeli soldier on Nov. 15, during his coverage of a protest against Israel's settlement activity in the south West Bank village of Sourif.
Amarneh is now being treated at an Israeli hospital, and is at risk of losing sight in his left eye permanently.
Israeli police said in a press statement that no lethal means were directed at the photojournalist.
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas phoned the injured photojournalist and vowed to treat his injury anywhere in the world at the expense of the Palestinian Authority.
Palestinian journalists launched a solidarity campaign with Amarneh that spread widely after many of them posted pictures of themselves covering their left eye to resemble the injury the that journalist is suffering from.
Palestinian officials, as well as journalists and artists from the Arab world joined the campaign on social media platforms.
