Cuban Journalists Union condemns 'Israel' killing Lebanese journalists
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The Cuban Journalists Union expresses its solidarity with the journalists of Gaza and Lebanon as it condemns the killing of two Al Mayadeen and one Al Manar staff in southern Lebanon.
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People observe the site where an Israeli airstrike hit a compound housing journalists in Hasbaya village, southeast Lebanon, Friday, October 25, 2024 (AP)
The Cuban Journalists Union (UPEC) condemned Saturday the Israeli occupation's recent attack on journalists in Hasbaya, Nabatieh district, southern Lebanon, which killed three journalists and left numerous others wounded, calling it a "Zionist war on the press."
"This crime represents yet another act of Zionist aggression against journalism," UPEC declared, urging the international community, "Stop this genocide now!"
The statement accused the Israeli occupation forces of "attempting to silence Al Mayadeen, Al Manar, and other Arab media outlets," which UPEC views as "pillars of media resistance" against the genocide inflicted on the people of Palestine, Lebanon, and their neighbors.
On Friday, Israeli occupation forces carried out an aerial attack on the place of residence of press crews in Hasbayya, South Lebanon, resulting in several casualties among journalists, cameramen, and technicians.
Following the deliberate attack on the freedom of the press, Al Mayadeen announced the martyrdom of two of its crew members covering the Israeli war on Lebanon across the southern front: cameraman Ghassan Najjar and broadcast engineer Mohammad Reda.
On its part, Al Manar TV mourned its cameraman Wissam Qassem who was also martyred in the Israeli aggression.
UPEC expressed its "deep solidarity with these media organizations, their management, and their workers," strongly condemning what it labeled a "deliberate and criminal assault" against journalists and technicians residing in the attacked residential complex.
The Union commended the "courage and steadfastness" displayed by journalists working under constant threat to "expose the aggressors and their allies." UPEC highlighted that these reporters' commitment "honors the struggles of their peoples."
The statement also recalled the recent International Patria Forum in Havana, where Al Mayadeen received the Dignity Award for their steadfast reporting. UPEC noted that the forum recognized "the Palestinian journalists and others targeted by these brutal assaults" as they continue to "embody the dignity of the people resisting Zionism and its imperial allies."
Cuban journalists extended their greetings to the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Mayadeen Media Network, who held the Israeli regime responsible for the attack, stating that the "aim was to eliminate media teams, not only Al Mayadeen's."
Ben Jeddou emphasized, "This was an assault on journalism as a whole under the cover of darkness." He added that "the occupation takes pleasure in killing journalists who expose its crimes," pointing to the extreme hostility directed toward them.
UPEC noted that Al Mayadeen had been a consistent target, with Israeli drones previously attacking and murdering members of their team in southern Lebanon in November 2023, namely reporter Farah Omar and cameraman Rabih al-Maamari. The recent bombing of an Al Mayadeen office in Beirut was also referenced as evidence of a broader campaign targeting the institution.
UPEC concluded by urging for accountability, saying, "These assaults on journalism will not cease until the occupiers are held to account for their heinous war crimes." In solidarity with global protests, including Cuban demonstrations, the Union called for an immediate end to the genocide being perpetrated by "Israel".
