On October 13, 2023, Lebanon and its journalistic community, particularly within the Alternative Press Syndicate gathering, lost a friend and colleague, Issam Abdullah. The minutes, hours, and days that followed since Israel’s targeting of Issam and his colleagues have weighed heavily on us. But from the very beginning, we were determined to pursue accountability for this crime.
Over the past year, we have engaged with human rights organizations and media institutions that have taken on the case, and facilitated their communication with witnesses and access to evidence. Five journalistic and human rights investigations have been conducted. All reached the same conclusion: “Israel killed Issam Abdullah.” They also underscored the need for an independent investigation into what appears to be a war crime.
We notified the relevant United Nations Special Rapporteurs, who in a letter to the Israeli government demanded an independent investigation into the killing. They also expressed deep concern over the targeting of journalists as a direct consequence of their military activity.
We also addressed the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL, demanding a transparent investigation and rejecting its initial vague statement. To this day, we are still waiting for their response to the call we made alongside other organizations: to release their report that was leaked by Reuters. This report confirms that Israel targeted the group of journalists, killing Issam, at a time when no exchanges of fire were occurring across the Blue Line. The leaked report describes this act as a violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 and international law.
Alongside over 120 local and international human rights and media organizations, we submitted two official letters to both the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Director-General of UNESCO, calling for an independent investigation into the crime.
We, along with Issam’s family and human rights organizations, requested the UN’s Independent Commission of Inquiry on the Palestinian Territories to include this crime in their investigations. We are still waiting for their reply.
However, we have faced obstruction from Lebanese authorities, who have not provided access to their investigation into the case, nor have they maintained their recognition of the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction to investigate war crimes committed in Lebanon from October 7, 2023, onward, including the targeting and killing of our colleagues.
Today, journalists in Lebanon face difficult conditions as they strive to report and amplify the truth amidst the escalation and expansion of the war. They live in fear of being killed with impunity.
Despite all of this, we remain committed to our promise. Our pledge to Issam, Farah, Rabih’, and to the wounded Christina, Elie, Carmen, Dylan, Thaer, and Maher is to continue our work until justice is served. We will not forget that Israel took Issam’s life and changed their lives forever. And though it remains silent in the face of these crimes, we will not allow the world to forget either.