Al Mezan Center demands a probe into army killing of UK Journalist

Monday August 06, 2007 22:02 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC

The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights demanded on Monday an immediate probe into the Israeli army fatal shooting of a British Cameraman at the borders area in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, in 2003.

James Miller

The Center stated that the soldiers who fired at James Miller should be prosecuted for this violation, and that Miller and his crew had been working on Friday May 2, 2003, for the US Home Book Offices (HBO) cable network in Rafah on a documentary about how Palestinian children are affected by the violence. Miller died while waiting evacuation from the scene.

Miller, an award-winning filmmaker, was born on January 1, 1946. He and five crew members filmed a interviewed a family in Rafah and as they were leaving the area, wearing special press vests and carrying a white flag with lights pointed at it the army, stationed 150 meters, fired at them killing Miller with a single shot in the neck.

The Israeli army claimed that there was an exchange of fire between troops and resistance fighters in the area and that Miller was killed by Palestinian fire but investigations proved that Miller was shot and killed by Israeli military fire and that the soldiers did not attempt to provide him with the needed first aid, and did not attempt to transfer him to any hospital.

On June 26, 2007, the UK addresses the Legal Advisor of the Israeli government and urged him to order a serious probe into the event, and said that it will carry legal measures in order to try the soldiers who fired at him which could involve requesting the transfer of the soldiers who were at the scene to the UK since the British law requires the presence of the accused during the court session.

The Al Mezan Center stated that all efforts to prosecute the soldiers should be resumed and intensified in order to seek justice.

The Center also stated that efforts should be carried out to try the soldiers who killed the American Peace Activist Rachel Corrie, in Rafah in the southern part of the Gaza Strip on March 16, 2003, and the soldier who shot the British peace activist Tom Hurndal also in Rafah on April, 11, 2003.

The Center voiced an appeal to the International Community to carry its moral duty by protecting the civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories and prosecute the Israeli soldiers who are involved in war crimes against thousands of innocent civilians, including hundreds of children.

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