VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Reuters visuals journalist Issam Abdallah takes a selfie in Maras, Turkey, on Feb 11, 2023. (Photo: REUTERS/Issam Abdallah) - 

VOInews, BEIRUT/THE HAGUE : An Israeli tank crew killed a Reuters reporter in Lebanon in October by firing two shells at a clearly identified group of journalists and then "likely" opened fire on them with a heavy machine gun in an attack that lasted 1 minute and 45 seconds, according to a report into the incident published on Thursday (Mar 7).

The report by the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) - which was contracted by Reuters to analyse evidence from the Oct 13 attack that killed visuals journalist Issam Abdallah - found that a tank 1.34 km away in Israel fired two 120 mm rounds at the reporters.

The first shell killed Abdallah, 37, and severely wounded Agence France-Presse (AFP) photographer Christina Assi, 28.

A Reuters investigation in December covered TNO's preliminary finding that a tank in Israel had fired at the journalists.

In its final report on Thursday, the institute revealed that audio picked up by an Al Jazeera video camera at the scene showed the reporters also came under fire from 0.50 calibre rounds of the type used by the Browning machine guns that can be mounted on Israel's Merkava tanks.

"It is considered a likely scenario that a Merkava tank, after firing two tank rounds, also used its machine gun against the location of the journalists," TNO's report said. "The latter cannot be concluded with certainty as the direction and exact distance of (the machine gun) fire could not be established."

Reuters could not independently determine if the Israeli tank crew knew it was firing on journalists, nor whether it also shot at them with a machine gun and, if so, why.

Neither of the two surviving Reuters reporters or another AFP journalist at the scene remembered the machine gun fire. All said they were in shock at the time.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not respond to requests for comment about any aspect of the attack on journalists. Asked to comment on TNO's preliminary findings in December, the IDF said: "We don't target journalists."

A day after the Reuters investigation was published, it said the incident took place in an active combat zone.

International humanitarian law bars attacks on journalists as those in the news media have the full scope of protection granted to civilians and cannot be considered military targets.

"We condemn, in the strongest terms, the attack on a clearly identifiable group of journalists, working in the open. The attack killed our colleague Issam Abdallah and injured several others. We reiterate our calls on Israel to explain how this could have happened and to hold those responsible to account," Reuters Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni said.

AFP Global News Director Phil Chetwynd reiterated his call for a thorough and transparent investigation by the Israeli military.

"If reports of sustained machine gun fire are confirmed, this would add more weight to the theory this was a targeted and deliberate attack," he said.

Ihtisham Hibatullah, Al Jazeera's manager of international communications, urged the Israeli government to disclose the findings of its own investigation.

"This incident strongly indicates intentional targeting, as confirmed by investigations, including by TNO," he said.

Lebanon's Minister of Information did not respond to a request for comment//CNA-VOI

President Joko Widodo addresses the plenary session of the Special ASEAN-Australia High Level Conference (KTT) at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center, Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, March 6 2024. Photo: BPMI Setpres/Laily Rachev - 

VOInews, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo emphasized the importance of cooperation between ASEAN and Australia in commemorating 50 years of partnership relations when addressing the plenary session of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center, Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, March 6 2024.

President Jokowi said that ASEAN and Australia share a common responsibility to maintain stability, peace and prosperity in the region.

"As the oldest dialogue partner, strategic comprehensive partner and liaison partner with the Pacific Region, ASEAN and Australia share a region where stability, peace and prosperity are our common goals and responsibilities," said the President.

According to a Presidential Secretariate office release on Wednesday (06/03/24), President Jokowi stated that ASEAN is predicted to become a global economic power and rank fourth in the world by 2040. With a population of more than 650 million people, most of whom are young workers with high technological literacy, President Jokowi emphasized the importance of Australia's support to maximize this potential.

Therefore, President Jokowi is encouraging strengthening economic cooperation by strengthening economic integration, one of which is through Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy 2040 to encourage Australian investment in Southeast Asia. The President hopes that Australia can open up investment opportunities from ASEAN to Australia more widely.

"We also need to optimize several collaborations such as the RCEP ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA and AOIP (ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific). "I appreciate PM Albanese's presence at last year's AOIP in Jakarta and I hope that Australia's commitment to AIPF worth USD 28.1 billion can be realized soon," said the President.

Apart from that, the President also highlighted the importance of Australia's investment and support in ASEAN in dealing with climate change as well as cooperation in the digital economy. According to the President, Australia's support is very much needed, especially in the form of investment, easy access to innovative financing, and technology transfer.

"I also encourage Australian business people to support the development of the ASEAN EV ecosystem, such as the Australian nickel company Nickel Industries which has invested in Morowali, Sulawesi. "Indonesia opposes black and discriminatory campaigns that use environmental pretexts that are not based on scientific evidence," said the President.

Regarding digital transformation cooperation, the President appreciated the start of negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement last year. President Jokowi also hopes that Australia can provide support through developing capabilities and knowledge, as well as strong public and private partnerships.

In concluding his speech, Jokowi reminded that ASEAN and Australia share the same future and must be the driving force for creating a stable, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. "ASEAN and Australia are great partners for now and the future," he stressed.

Also accompanying the President in the plenary session of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit were Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, and Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono//(BPMI-VOI)

President Joko Widodo (fifth from the right) at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit reception at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center (MCEC) on Tuesday (March 5, 2024). (ANTARA/Presidential Secretariat) - 

VOInews, Australia - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has reaffirmed Indonesia's solidarity with Palestine and called for an end to the genocide in the Gaza Strip during the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne on March 4-6.

"The president reiterated the importance of the ceasefire and called for continued support to UNRWA (the UN agency for Palestinian refugees)," Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi stated in a press statement on Wednesday.

In the second session of the summit, themed "Our Vision for the Region and Addressing Shared Challenges," Jokowi also emphasized the importance of ASEAN and Australia continuing to respect international law.

"Rule-based order must be enforced without double standards, and no country should be above the law," Marsudi said, referring to Jokowi's statement.

Regarding the geopolitical situation, Jokowi encouraged ASEAN and Australia to continue to strengthen the spirit and paradigm of cooperation to prevent a decline in trust.

"Inclusive cooperation is very important to create strategic trust. The president also hoped that Australia could become a bridge for ASEAN cooperation with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and with IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association)," Marsudi remarked.

The ASEAN-Australia Special Summit was held to commemorate 50 years of partnership between the two. Australia is ASEAN's first dialogue partner and the first partner in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

ASEAN, or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which was established on August 8, 1967, currently has 10 official member countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

ASEAN, in principle, admitted Timor-Leste as its 11th member and allowed the country to attend all its meetings, including at the head of state and government level//(ANTARA-VOI)

President Joko Widodo and Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne, on March 3, 2024. (ANTARA/Presidential Secretariat) - 

VOInews, Australia - Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi stated that the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit resulted in two documents, namely the Melbourne Declaration and the ASEAN-Australia Leaders Vision Statement.

"The Melbourne Declaration contains the direction of cooperation in the political-security, economic, and socio-cultural sectors going forward," Marsudi noted in a transcript of her press statement regarding the summit, as received here on Wednesday.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) attended the summit that took place in Melbourne on March 4-6.

Meanwhile, the ASEAN-Australia Leaders Vision Statement is aimed at facing geopolitical, geostrategic, and geoeconomic challenges. The event was held to commemorate 50 years of ASEAN's partnership with Australia, and the theme of the summit was "A Partnership for the Future."

The summit was divided into two sessions, with the first session being the "Future ASEAN-Australia Cooperation" discussion, while the second one was "The Three ASEAN Cooperation Pillars".

Marsudi explained that last year, Australia had released its economic strategy document for Southeast Asia. The document was created by Australia's Special Envoy for Southeast Asia Nicholas Moore.

"The point of Moore's report is Australia's new approach to increase trade and investment with Southeast Asia," she stated.

Australia views Southeast Asia as a highly potential region, with high economic growth, geographical proximity, and economic complementarity, she explained.

"It is part of Australia's efforts to diversify the economy," she added.

Four major objectives in the report are raising awareness, removing blockages, building capacities, and deepening investment.

The 10 priority sectors for the Australia and Southeast Asia cooperation are agriculture and food, natural resources, clean energy transition, infrastructure, education and skills, tourism, health, digital economy, professional and financial services, and creative industries.

"Australia also launched the ASEAN-Australia Center, which is a form of support for the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP)," Marsudi stated//(ANTARA-VOI)