RAMALLAH, May 26, 2018 (WAFA) – The Journalists Syndicate condemned in a statement on Saturday an Israeli draft law that would criminalize the documentation of human rights violations against Palestinian citizens by Israeli soldiers, describing the bill as a blow to the profession of journalism.

It said the proposed draft law, to be discussed by the Israeli Knesset on Sunday, will enable the Israeli army to commit more crimes without the possibility of being documented.

On Thursday, Israel Hayom daily said the chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu bloc in the Knesset, Robert Ilatov, proposed the bill with the support of his party’s leader, Israeli “Defense” Minister Avigdor Lieberman.

The bill states, “Anyone who shoots a video or a photo, or records soldiers while they are doing their job, with the aim of disturbing the morale of soldiers and citizens, will be sentenced to five years imprisonment. In case this is done with the aim of destabilizing the state’s security, the perpetrator will be sentenced to ten years imprisonment.”

The bill also prohibits the sharing of photographs or recorded content on social media or in the media.

M.N