Troops cleared in death of Reuters cameraman in Gaza

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The IDF on Wednesday closed an investigation into the death of a Reuters cameraman without taking disciplinary action against the tank crew that killed the young journalist. Reuters responded by saying it is "deeply disturbed" by the findings. It said the army's conclusion could encourage further violence against journalists operating in war zones. Israel's Foreign Press Association also criticized the army report. The army probe found that troops acted properly when they opened fire on Fadel Shana after he set up a tripod in a Gaza battle zone. The army said troops suspected Shana was a terrorist preparing to fire a missile at the tank. The chief military prosecutor said in a letter to Reuters that the decision to fire at the targets "was sound, given the prevalent circumstances." Reuters made the letter public on Wednesday.