11 April 2012
BEIRUT: An Al-Jadeed cameraman who was accompanying his colleague Ali Shaaban at the time of his death said Tuesday he will not return to his job.
Abdel-Azim Khayyat told The Daily Star he would quit his position and assume another one within Al-Jadeed, citing Monday’s tragic incident and his realization that the level of threat in his job was too high for him and his family. Khayyat has covered several conflict situations, including the summer 2006 war with Israel.
“My family can no longer take the unbearable pressure, particularly as this is the second time I have been hurt on an assignment,” Khayyat told Al-Jadeed TV earlier Tuesday, recalling the day he was wounded by Israeli shelling during the July-August 2006 war with Israel.
Khayyat, along with Al-Jadeed reporter Bassel al-Aridi and assistant cameraman Ziad Sawan were the first reporters wounded in the 34-day war when their vehicle was hit by shots fired from an Israeli helicopter as they crossed a bridge in south Lebanon.
Khayyat also spoke to The Daily Star about Monday’s incident, in which his colleague Shaaban was killed after their vehicle was fired upon while they were out on assignment with Al-Jadeed reporter Hussein Khreis on the Lebanese-Syrian border. Both Khayyat and Khreis have maintained that the Syrian army was behind the shooting.
“The incident was a clear message from the Syrian army to Al-Jadeed, especially to [the channel’s owner] Tahseem Khayyat,” Khayyat said.
The cameraman challenged Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the Cabinet to have the courage to expel Syrian Ambassador in Lebanon Ali Abdel-Karim Ali.
Khayyat said that this was the minimum Lebanese authorities should do in the aftermath of the incident.
He added that investigations into his colleague’s death should be conducted under the supervision of the Lebanese Army and not the Syrian authorities.
Copyright The Daily Star 2012.
