BETHLEHEM, May 2, 2015 (WAFA) –Palestinian reporters and members of
the Journalists’ Syndicate were injured on Saturday as Israeli forces attacked
a rally marking World Press Freedom Day at the northern entrance of Bethlehem.
Dozens of Palestinian reporters organized a march that set off from
the northern entrance of Bethlehem toward the 300 Israeli military checkpoint
near Rachel Tomb to mark the World Press Freedom Day
Attempting to quell the march, Israeli forces fired tear gas
canisters and stun grenades at marchers, injuring two members of the Journalists’
Syndicate and causing dozens of reporters to suffer from excessive tear gas
inhalation.
The injured members of the syndicate were identified as Head of the
Press Syndicate, ‘Abdul-Naser al-Najjar, and Muhammad al-Lahham.
Both al-Najjar and al-Lahham sustained wounds and bruises in their
legs after a stun grenades exploded near them. They were taken to a local
hospital for medical treatment.
Israel often targets Palestinian journalists, either through
arresting them or attacking them while covering peaceful marches and clashes
with Palestinians, in total contradiction with international law, which calls
for the protection of journalists at times of conflict.
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA)
monitored an unexpected high number of very serious crimes and violations
committed by Israel against Palestinian journalists and media freedoms, the
most violent and dangerous of which took place in the Gaza Strip.
“Israel’s attacks against journalists and media freedoms escalated
sharply since the beginning of its military aggression on Gaza, with 16 journalists
and media worker, in addition to 1 media activist killed between 8 July
(beginning of the attack) and 26 August 2014 (date of the truce),” it reported.
Attacks against media freedoms were not only committed in the Gaza
Strip but also in the West Bank, where 21 Israeli abuses were monitored by
MADA.
It said that in August 2014, “the Israeli attacks and violations
against Palestinian media freedoms in the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem
included; killing, destroying media headquarters, damaging journalists' houses,
injuring journalists by bullets and bombing, arresting, preventing free
movement, threatening and preventing coverage, detention, interrogation, and
beating.”
Reporters without Borders said on its website, “In the report,
Palestinian Journalists Caught Between Three Sides, RWB highlighted the double
vice gripping information freedom in the Territories. The strongest pressure
comes from Israel and its army, which doesn’t hesitate to arrest, even to kill,
news professionals.”
K. F./T.R.
