Journalists Are Kept at Bay by Israeli Bullets

JERUSALEM -- In his three decades covering wars in the Mideast, television producer Charles Enderlin has had his run-ins with Israeli soldiers--but never a nasty rebuff like the one he got last week.

Trying to reach Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat's besieged West Bank headquarters, Enderlin and his TV France 2 crew were turned back at an Israeli checkpoint. Before leaving, they tried to film the soldiers but were ordered to stop.

"Show me a written order that I cannot film here," the producer demanded. "Instead of a paper, you're going to get a bullet in your camera," snarled an Israeli reservist, raising his automatic rifle.

After more bickering, the producer turned his back and headed toward his car.

Then came the reservist's parting shot. A bullet sliced through the air between Enderlin and his cameraman at chest level.