> Press Release: CAABU condemns Israel's treatment of Palestinian
> journalist, Mohamed Omar
>
>
> CAABU condemns the appalling treatment of the Palestinian journalist and
> joint winner of the 2008 Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism, Mohamed
> Omar. On returning from a tour of Europe, that included three days in
> London, he was detained by Israeli security forces at Allenby Bridge. Here
> he was interrogated and subsequently beaten up for over four hours. He
> lost consciousness and was hospitalised. He has now returned to the Gaza
> Strip, and is in hospital where he is being treated, not least for broken
> ribs. CAABU calls on the Israeli government to launch an immediate
> independent inquiry into this outrage and to ensure that Mohamed Omar is
> fully compensated for what happened.
>
> CAABU was delighted to have been involved in helping arrange the programme
> for the visit of the award winning Palestinian journalist from Rafah. He
> came to London to receive the Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism from
> 16-18 June. CAABU helped arrange briefing sessions with politicians,
> academics, NGOs and other interested parties, where Mohamed gave an
> outstanding but harrowing presentation of life in Gaza. This included a
> great deal of personal accounts of the brutality of the Israeli armed
> forces, not least the killing of his brother, and the demolition of his
> family's home in Rafah.
>
> CAABU Director, Chris Doyle, said, "Having had the pleasure of meeting
> Mohamed Omar extensively during his visit, I could not help but be
> impressed with his courage and integrity, and as an outstanding journalist
> who valued his political independence. To find that he has been targeted
> and abused in such a fashion is deeply disturbing and our thoughts go out
> to him as he recovers in hospital. However, the international community
> should no longer remain silent about Israel's treatment of journalists,
> which has over the years involved harassment, censorship, intimation and
> even killing at a level that it totally unacceptable. "
>
> For further information please see
> http://www.haaretz. com/hasen/ spages/997593. html