Bombed Al-Jazeera building in Gaza: "Hamas used media shield"

INTERVIEW

The Israeli army on Saturday shelled a building housing the premises of the Qatari television station Al-Jazeera and the American news agency Associated Press in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army was targeting Hamas military equipment hidden in the tower. The AP news agency says it is "shocked and horrified", while Washington alerts on media safety. "With this tower, the Hamas intelligence services were using a media shield against their actions," said at the microphone of Europe Soir Avi Pazner, the former Israeli ambassador to France (1995-1998), who currently resides in Tel Aviv.

"Israel, an hour before taking action, requested the evacuation of this tower so that there are no civilian and military victims," ​​the diplomat also recalled.

>>

Find Europe evening weekend in podcast and in replay here 

Under fire

Avi Pazner also spoke briefly about the situation in Israel, as Hamas rocket fire and the bombing launched by the Hebrew state in retaliation killed more than 100 people in less than a week.

"I am going through this ordeal in a way that pains me a great deal. I am a diplomat, a man who has made the advancement of peace his mission of his life, and I now have to undergo bombardments," he explains. 'former ambassador to Europe 1. "I am currently speaking to you from my shelter, where I am with my wife, waiting for the bombing to stop, and praying that nothing will happen to those who are dear to me," he explains. -he.

Gaza residents under "terrorist organization" sway

"I can tell you that no Israeli wanted this conflict," he said. "I find the situation of the inhabitants of Gaza sad, under the influence of a so-called government which is in fact a terrorist organization, Hamas, which brought us to this conflict between Palestinians and Israelis", further denounces Avi Pazner . "We want to live in coexistence, in good friendship with our Arab cousins ​​in Israel," he assures us.