Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil. (Photo taken from Khalil's Linkedin profile)
BEIRUT — Amal Khalil, Lebanese Al Akhbar journalist who has been covering the war in southern Lebanon, told Al Jadeed Friday that she "received an Israeli death threat, warning her to leave the south and threatening to destroy her home and decapitate her."
Khalil stated that she "received a message from an Israeli enemy," urging her to leave the south. "I have informed the relevant authorities about this, as the enemy has recently used this tactic with many others there," she said.
The message, which was allegedly sent from an Israeli number, included details about her movements between villages in the south, saying: "We know where you are and we will reach you when the time comes." The message ended with: "I suggest you flee to Qatar or somewhere else if you want to keep your head connected to your shoulders."
The Lebanese press community, including fellow field journalists, expressed solidarity with Khalil. Joseph Al-Qaseefi, the head of the Lebanese Press Editors’ Syndicate, condemned the threat in a statement, saying: "This blatant threat is part of the series of attacks that have targeted journalists in Gaza, where more than 150 journalists have been martyred in the past eleven months, and in southern Lebanon, with the killing of Reuters photographer Issam Abdallah by an Israeli tank shell, and the targeting of colleagues Farah Omar and Rabih Al-Maamari from Al-Mayadeen."
Al-Qaseefi denounced the "shameless threat" as a violation of international laws and conventions protecting journalists in times of war. "On behalf of the Syndicate Council and myself, we are bringing this matter to the General Union of Arab Journalists, the International Federation of Journalists and relevant international bodies, so they are aware of what the Zionists are planning against every journalist performing their professional duty, shedding light on the deliberate crimes of the Israeli war machine against civilians in Gaza, the West Bank, and southern Lebanon. This issue will be monitored closely."
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, since Oct.7, Israel has killed 116 journalists, including 111 Palestinian, two Israeli, and three Lebanese.