Israeli forces yesterday shot and killed Italian photo-journalist, Raffaele Ciriello yesterday in the West Bank Townof Ramallah. He was shot six times in the stomach. A French photographer and Egyptian TV correspondent were alsowounded, as Israeli tanks occupied the town and its neighboring refugee camps. Ciriello was on an assignment for theItalian newspaper Corriere della Sera. According to his colleague, journalist Amedeo Ricucci, they werefollowing Palestinian militia through the center of Ramallah when an Israeli tank appeared from around the corner andshot Ciriello six times without warning.

The unidentified French photographer was shot twice in the leg, although the source of the gunfire was unclear, whilethe Egyptian journalist escaped unharmed after Israeli soldiers fired five shots at his car. Journalists haveexperienced worsening conditions in the West Bank’s main town since the Israeli army stormed it yesterday.

Dozens of Israeli tanks patrolled the deserted streets of Ramullah throughout the day. Seven Palestinians werewounded in other incidents.

Meanwhile, Palestinian officials welcomed a U.N. Security Council resolution that for the first time endorsed theidea of a Palestinian state.

Since the beginning of March, Israel has stepped up military strikes against Palestinians. Israel TV said about20,000 Israeli soldiers are stationed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the largest-scale Israeli military operationsince the 1982 invasion of Lebanon.

Guests:

• Ali Abunimah, co-founder and coordinator of the Electronic Intifada, a network of pro-Palestinianactivists with a history of Internet and media activism. He is also vice president of the Arab American ActionCoalition.
• Amira Hass, correspondent in West Bank for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz and one of Israel’sleading journalists. She lives in Ramallah.

Related links:

• Electronic Intifada
• Haaretz