On Saturday, May 3, Israeli forces broke up a peaceful demonstration of Palestinian journalists at the checkpoint of Beit El near Ramallah on World Press Freedom Day. That same day, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCRH) released a report stating violations against Palestinian journalists include being shot at, killed, wounded, beaten, home invasions, confiscation of press badges and equipment, arrests, and being thrown in prison.
As Palestinian journalists gathered to protested restrictions on their freedom of movement across the occupied Palestinian territories, the Israeli military proceeded to throw sound grenades and tear gas into the crowd.
Israel frequently prevents Palestinian journalists from doing their jobs by not allowing them to reach towns and neighborhoods where violations are taking place (such as house demolitions; Israeli forces surround the home preventing press from documenting events as they occur , video 1:10).
In commemoration of World Press Freedom Day 2014 the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) organized events in Ramallah and Gaza City on Sunday calling for “accountability for the 22 Palestinian journalists killed since 2000” also using the occasion to launch a campaign “Towards Reform of Media laws in Palestine”, to advancement a “media law draft” to help Palestinian journalists “achieve their ambitions.”
MADA, There is now a real opportunity for a substantial change in media freedoms,
The general director of MADA, Mr. Mousa Rimawi, declared that this day was the occasion to commemorate media workers killed by the Israeli occupation forces in Palestine while performing their professional duty, adding that the fact that the perpetrators of these crimes were not held accountable contributed to the continuous violation of journalists’ rights.
This year witnessed a rise in violations against journalists, while last year saw the largest number of Israeli violations since 2008 [partially documented here – ed.]in the West Bank, with 151 cases. MADA calls the international community to show solidarity with Palestinian journalists and exert real pressure on the Israeli Occupation Authorities so that they end their violations of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA) reports the Arab Press Sport Union condemned Israeli actions against Palestinian journalists, as well as violations against Palestinian athletes.
More screenshots from video of Saturdays’ peaceful demonstration by Palestinian journalists outside Ramallah:
This article from the Committee to Protect Journalists shows just how brutal the “only” democracy in the Middle East can be. Democracy? What a joke!
http://cpj.org/2014/03/journalists-under-fire-in-israel-and-the-occupied.php
Maybe those Palestinian Terro-eeeeests have bombs hidden in the those signs and represent an existential threat to Apartheid Israel.
Important topic, Annie. Now maybe Allison could tell us something about restrictions for journalist generally reporting from Israel. No? I’d be interested. ;)
My top question would be, does she have an Israeli allowance to report for us? Does something like that exists at all? Is it needed at all? I am trying to understand media one-sidedness on the issue. Does Israel except Western journalists credentials? No restrictions at all?
I have no idea really, but it looks to me as if she is reporting from the ground. Although, yes, admittedly I am occasionally wondering, if she by now relies on the ground Palestinian connections occasionally or works from the States partly. In any case her recent cooperation with Alex suggested to me they were both over there at that point. And yes it feels she is over there for a long time now. But I don’t really know.
Informed comments appreciated. ;)
“The only democracy in the Middle East.”
Have Palestinian journalists protested Palestine Authority or Hamas violations against freedom of the press?
Just curious.