Nasser Ishtayeh is a Palestinian journalist and photographer who has been documenting the Israeli occupation of the West Bank for more than three decades. He has witnessed countless clashes, protests, raids, arrests, and killings in his hometown of Nablus and nearby villages. He has also been shot 11 times by Israeli soldiers and settlers, and has survived several other attacks and injuries.
Ishtayeh works as a stringer for the Associated Press (AP) and other international media outlets. He says he is motivated by a sense of duty and passion to show the world the reality of life under occupation. He says he hates blood and war, but he cannot stop doing his job.
“I feel that I have a responsibility to tell the story of my people, to expose the crimes of the occupation, to defend the rights of the Palestinians,” he told Middle East Eye¹. “I love photography, it is my way of expressing myself and my feelings.”
Ishtayeh says he has been shot 11 times by rubber-coated steel bullets, live ammunition, and tear gas canisters fired by Israeli forces. The most recent incident was 18 months ago, when he was covering a demonstration in a village near Nablus. A soldier shot him in the head from six meters away, grazing his skull. He believes that he was saved by a backward glance at some children behind him, which made him slightly tilt his head.
“The soldier aimed at my head, but at the last moment I looked behind me at some children,” he said¹. “I felt something hit me hard, and I fell to the ground. I thought I was going to die.”
Ishtayeh says he did not report the incident to the Israeli authorities, as he had done dozens of times before, because he knew it would be futile. He says he always faced denial, blame, or indifference from the Israeli side.
“The blame always falls on the journalist,” he said¹. “They say we are not neutral, we are biased, we are inciting, we are part of the resistance. They don’t respect our work or our rights.”
According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Palestinian journalists face systematic attacks and harassment from Israeli security forces and settlers, as well as a culture of impunity that allows them to act with impunity¹.
Ishtayeh says he has also been assaulted by settlers on several occasions, especially when he was covering their illegal activities or their removal from certain areas. In 2004, when then-prime minister Ariel Sharon ordered the evacuation of some settlements near Nablus, Ishtayeh was thrown down a well by angry settlers and left for dead. He was rescued by Israeli soldiers who took him to hospital.
Ishtayeh says he has suffered physical and psychological trauma from his experiences, but he has not given up on his work or his hope for peace. He says he has met many Israeli journalists and activists who share his vision and support his cause.
“I don’t hate all Israelis, I hate the occupation and its policies,” he said¹. “I have friends and colleagues who are Israelis, who respect me and appreciate my work. They also suffer from the occupation and its consequences.”
Ishtayeh says he is proud of his work and his achievements, despite the risks and challenges. He says he has received many awards and recognition for his photography, both locally and internationally. He says he has also inspired many young Palestinians to pursue journalism and photography as a career.
“I have been doing this for so long that even the Israeli soldiers I meet at checkpoints are surprised that I am still alive,” he said¹. “They ask me why I don’t quit or retire. I tell them that this is my life, this is my mission.”
