Monday, February 15

Gazan photographer wins World Press Photo award

Editor Eman Jomaa

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Gaza Strip, February 14, 2010 (Pal Telegraph)- Mohammed Jadallah, 25, Reuters photographer in the Gaza Strip, won one of this year's awards in the World Press Photo contest. Judges awarded prizes to 63 photographers from 23 countries in one of journalism's most prestigious photo contests. The jury spent two weeks reviewing a record 101,960 photographs by 5,847 photographers from 128 different nations.

Jadallah was ranked as the second winner in the contest. His winning photo, taken on Jan. 8, 2009, portrays Israeli white phosphorus bombs falling over the Gaza Strip during Israel's recent massacre in Gaza.

World Press Photo is an independent, non-profit organization established in 1955. With its main office in Amsterdam, it organizes global contests and exhibitions; chief among these is the world's largest and most prestigious press photography contest.

mohJadallah said that his winning picture clearly shows Israel's unquestionable use of internationally forbidden white phosphorus during its war on Gaza, stressing that the picture serves as clear-cut evidence of Israel's long-time violation of international law. "The picture depicts the painful reality of the Palestinians during the war, and is the ultimate triumph of the truth," said Jadallah.

Jadallah dedicated his victory to the victims of the Gaza war, hoping that his picture has contributed to revealing the bitter reality of the Palestinian people to the world.

To receive his award, Jadallah has been invited to visit Amsterdam in Holland.

Jadallah has won several awards before, most notably the Arab journalism award given by the Dubai Press Club in 2004 for his famous picture of the massacre committed by Israelis during a march in the Tel Al- Sultan area in Rafah.

Mohammed Jadallah is not the first in his family to win such a prestigious journalistic award; two of his brothers were recognized previously. Suhaib Jadallah, also a Reuters photographer in Gaza, took a winning picture showing settlers clashing with some Palestinian citizen. The other award-winning picture in the family was taken by Ahmed Jadallah, a Reuters photographer now based in Dubai. During the 2003 attack on Gaza's Jabaliya refugee camp, he was injured and was bleeding on the ground next to the bodies of martyrs when he snapped his picture.

By Mohammed S. El-Nadi.

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