Senior Cbs Official Backtracks on Earlier Charge That the IDF Deliberately Fired on Cbs Cameramen

A senior CBS official backtracked tonight from his network’s earlier charge that an Israel Defense Force tank had deliberately fired at two CBS television news cameramen who were killed in south Lebanon last Thursday.

But Ernest Leiser, CBS vice president for news, offered no formal apology for what he admitted were groundless charges against Israel. On the other hand, Premier Shimon Peres sent his personal deep regrets and condolences to CBS for what he described as a tragic mistake arising from Israel’s efforts to protect its soldiers from terrorists in south Lebanon.

Leiser, who flew to Israel over the weekend, made his remarks following an hour-long meeting with Peres after his return from the Lebanese village where the cameramen were killed. He told reporters here:

“I think that knowing what I now know, we (CBS) might have qualified our language somewhat. I think our reaction was proportionate to what we experienced and knew at the time, (last Thursday) and I now certainly believe it was not a deliberate attempt to fire tank cannons against our camera people.”

TANK WAS THREE KILOMETERS FROM TARGET

After visiting the site of the incident yesterday, Leiser was reported to have acknowledged that the tank which fired the fatal shots was about three kilometers distant from the target, not 500 meters as CBS had originally contended. He seemed to agree that at that range, it was not possible to distinguish hand-held television cameras from hand-held rocket-propelled grenade launchers — in short, the cameramen were indistinguishable from armed terrorists.

Peres did not agree to Leiser’s request for a special inquiry into the incident but promised to inform CBS of the findings of a routine internal investigation conducted by the IDF. CBS, for its part, has not rescinded its earlier decision to cancel a series of Passover-Easter week broadcasts that were to originate in Israel next month.

PERES FURIOUS WITH IDF

It was disclosed today that Peres was furious with the IDF for its failure to express regret over the deaths of the two cameramen in its announcement of the incident last week. The announcement, by an IDF spokesman, was given to Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin for approval before it was released. Despite his recommendation that it should contain an expression of regret, it was published in its original form.

Peres sent a personal letter of condolence to CBS president Ed Joyce but it arrived too late to mollify CBS executives in New York who were angered by what they called the IDF spokesman’s “arrogrance and stupidity” and demanded a full investigation.

Peres’ letter to Joyce said: “I wish to express my deep sorrow at the tragic death of two newsmen in south Lebanon. Please convey my condolences to the families and to CBS News, and my wishes for full and speedy recovery of the wounded.”

Peres added, however, “The tank crew involved did not deviate from the strict orders concerning the protection of innocent bystanders. It appears that the cameramen took position in the midst of a group of armed men who were engaged in active hostility against the IDF. I reiterate Israel’s longstanding and unqualified commitment to freedom of the press and totally reject any suggestion that the incident was anything but a derivative of the tragic situation in Lebanon and the circumstances under which we are forced to carry out our duty to protect the lives of our soldiers.”