Disabled Palestinian war photographer turns camera on culture

[Jefferson23]

RAMALLAH (AFP) -- When Palestinian Osama Silwadi was crippled by gunfire it ended his career as a war correspondent, but the now wheelchair-bound photographer has found a new calling documenting his people's heritage.

After two decades covering the violence of the first and second uprisings against the Israeli occupation (in 1987-1994 and 2000-2005), Silwadi's life took a dramatic turn in 2006 when he was hit by a stray bullet fired by Palestinian gunmen.

Silwadi, 33 at the time, was in his office in Ramallah when he heard gunmen outside firing during a funeral procession.

"I heard shooting in the street and I ran to the window to take pictures," he recalls, describing how a group of gunmen were firing into the air as a show of mourning.

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