In areas of hot confrontation between Palestinians and occupation, areas of wars and conflict in all Palestinian lands, and many Arab countries, the Associated Press (AP) photographer was present in the West Bank, Iyad Hamad, in the first rows of journalists, to cover current events, and show the picture of the truth . With what his colleagues in Palestine call him "Abu Al-Tadamun", for being the first to show solidarity with them, towards the attacks they are exposed to by the Israeli occupation, and his advocacy of their just causes in all forums. This 21-year walk, which Hamad spent as a cameraman for the American News Agency in the West Bank, during which he worked as a prominent journalist and solidarity fighter, in return for which he was fired from the agency's administration, due to his activities in solidarity with Palestinian journalists and defending their rights, ignoring His effort to face risks, to accomplish his role, and to perform his work to the fullest.
Unfair complaint
The dismissal decision was communicated to Hamad by a phone call from the director of the American News Agency office in Palestine, Jordan and Israel, based in West Jerusalem, Israeli Joseph Federman, based on the agency receiving a complaint against him from the Palestinian police, on the grounds that he incited against the Palestinian security services, and his attempt to create chaos According to the photographer Hamad.
The Emirates Today met Palestinian photographer Iyad Hamad, a resident of the city of Bethlehem in the West Bank, to talk about the events and details of what happened with him, stressing that his dismissal is closely linked to his solidarity with the Palestinian journalist, Anas Hawari, from the city of Tulkarm in the West Bank, Following his arrest by the Palestinian police, and launching pro-dialogue campaigns on social media.
Hamad says: “On Wednesday May 27, I received a phone call from the Associated Press director in West Jerusalem, the Israeli Joseph Federman, informing me of the decision in the presence of the agency’s director in the Middle East, and the agency’s administration in New York, and that he was fired permanently And, based on a complaint filed by the Palestinian police in the West Bank against him.
Hamad goes on to say: “My response to my quarterly decision was: Thank you, and I asked him to send the decision to my email, and after an hour I received the decision, and it contained many pretexts, most notably that the Palestinian police lodged a complaint against me, claiming that I provoke sedition, and incite against The government and my attempts to ignite tires in the courts to protest against Anas Hawari's trial and to create inflammatory pages against the police on social media platforms. ” Television cameraman Hamad denied the complaint against him, describing it as unjust, adding: “This is a slander, I didn’t do that at all. Those who are exposed to violations by the occupation ». He continued, “I felt despair, not to deprive me of my work, but because the US News Agency rewarded my effort and my career in this way. I took advantage of the police complaint filed against me for my dismissal from work, ignoring the role I have played over 21 years of continuous work, and facing risks in the way of To reveal the truth and to bring the voice of the Palestinians to the world. ”
Penalty of solidarity
Hamad notes that, as part of his campaign for solidarity with the journalist Hawari, he contacted his lawyer via the WhatsApp digital platform, to find out the developments of his trial, to inform him that the police reported that he had beaten five people.
Palestinian journalist Hamad says: “I mocked the police claim, and my response was that my colleague Hawari is not a wrestling player to do that, and during this conversation we shared the response of the Palestinian police spokesman in the West Bank, Louay Zureikat, to deny what is being circulated, and what the lawyer spoke, and here a controversy occurred. With Erezikat, where I asked him to leave the group of journalists through the application (WhatsApp), it is not for the security services, but he confronted me with a threat. ” He notes that he and a group of journalists protested last May 19, in front of the Palestinian Prime Minister’s headquarters, after information came from the agency with which he works, stating that the Palestinian police lodged a complaint against him, indicating that he stopped the sit-in after receiving promises to resolve his case from the Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh. The television cameraman says, “The Palestinian government, represented by its president, Muhammad Shtayyeh, and its spokesperson, Ibrahim Melhem, promised to find a solution to his case, after his sit-in in front of the cabinet headquarters, and it committed to agreeing with the government, and the sit-in stopped to discuss solutions, to be renewed after the Eid al-Fitr holiday, But on the first day after the leave, I was finally informed of my work, and there is no going back on the decision. ”
For his part, the spokesman for the Palestinian police in the West Bank, Colonel Louay Arizikat, denies the police filed a complaint against the journalist Hamad.
Stir up public opinion
The journalist Hamad was remarkably prominent in the advocacy campaign that he led and launched in solidarity with the Palestinian photographer Moaz Amarneh, who lost his eye as a result of an injury by the Israeli soldiers, who shot him directly, while covering his storm into the town of Surif northwest of Hebron last November.
Palestinian photographer Hamad says that the Associated Press has not separated me from working for me right once against the backdrop of my solidarity with colleague Amarneh, because the attack on him was carried out by the occupation, and my advocacy of it is a national duty, and the arrest warrant accordingly causes a public opinion issue. Among the press bodies, the official Palestinian institution, and human rights organizations.
Palestinian police accuse Hamad of fomenting sedition, inciting against the government, and trying to ignite tires in court, in protest of Anas Hawari's trial.
Journalist Hamad was remarkable in the advocacy campaign that he led and launched in solidarity with Palestinian photographer Moaz Amarneh, who lost his eye as a result of an injury by the Israeli soldiers.