Wide wave of attacks against media freedoms during July, especially in the city of Jerusalem
Ramallah - 10/8/2017 - July 2017 witnessed a wide wave of violence against media freedoms in Palestine, especially in the occupied city of Jerusalem. Where the events that accompanied the "protests in Al Aqsa", which followed the series of measures taken by the Israeli occupation authorities against Al-Aqsa Mosque, the interest of various Palestinian, Arab and international media. This was faced by the Israeli police with procedures targeted journalists and media workers in order to cover up their actions against Al-Aqsa Mosque and its repressive practices against citizens who exercised their right to protest against such measures and against the journalists who covered the events.
During the month of July, MADA center monitored a total of 106 attacks against media freedoms in Palestine. The Israeli occupation has committed a total of 89 attacks, while a total of 17 violations were committed by Palestinian parties in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Israeli violations:
The Israeli occupation committed a total of 89 attacks against media freedoms in July, most of them concentrated in the second half of the month, the physical assaults (The most dangerous to the lives of journalists and their ability to carry out their work) came at the top of the list of Israeli violations recorded in July, where MADA monitored a total of 36 physical assaults, Including 21 rubber bullets, gas and sound bombs, and 15 incidents of beatings targeting journalists (male and female) who participated in covering the events in Jerusalem. Some of them were attacked more than once.
Some of the beatings incidents were very violent, as happened, for example with the cameraman and producer of the German channel RTL Rajai Mahfouz Khatib, who was beaten by police officers on his right knee when they attacked him while covering the events of Jerusalem, what caused him a serious rupture in his hamstrings forced him to use the crutch to help him walk.
One of the most serious Israeli attacks this month was the storming of the headquarters of six media companies and institutions in the West Bank by the occupation army (Two of which targeted Pal-Media offices in Hebron and Ramallah), accompanied with the search of these offices and the destruction and confiscation of many of the contents, in addition to the arrest and detention of three journalists by the Israeli police and army.
The rest of the Israeli attacks focused mostly on preventing journalists from covering the events and targeting them to keep them away from the events and to restrict them in various ways, such as imposing fines, deleting material, threats, and others.
Palestinian violations:
Palestinian violations of media freedoms during the month of July witnessed a significant decrease compared to the previous June.
The number of Palestinian violations that were monitored during July is 17 violations (the previous June witnessed 41 Palestinian violations), including 13 violations recorded in the West Bank and 3 violations in the Gaza Strip. This is in addition to the incident of defamation and incitement through extensive social media sites targeted Palestine TV reporter Christen Renawi.
The most prominent of the Palestinian violations recorded in July was the arrest and detained of 5 journalists (4 in the West Bank and one case in Gaza) in addition to the summons and investigation of a number of journalists.
Among the Palestinian violations was the threat of arrest carried by the Preventive Security Service through the Aqsa TV cameraman (Ahmadal-Khatib) during his arrest to his colleague the reporter at Al-Aqsa TV Mustafa Khawaja[1].
The Palestinian violations included 4 cases of detention and interrogation, one of them accompanied with the detention of equipment, 6 summons, in addition to two cases of equipment confiscation, and one case of preventing coverage of event.
In the Gaza Strip MADA monitored three violations were committed by Hamas security forces, two summons and interrogation cases, and one verbal assault.
Violations details:
(1/7) the Palestinian Intelligence Service arrested Al-Aqsa TV cameraman Ahmad Fathi al-Khatib (30 years) from his house, for 10 days in bad conditions.
Al- Khatib reported to MADA: "Two cars carrying people in civilian clothes came to my house in Beitunia (near Ramallah) around 12 PM on 1/7. One of them identified himself as a member of the Intelligence Service and asked me to go with them for five minutes."
He added: "Four hours after we arrived at the intelligence office, an interrogator came and asked me," Did you know why you are here? "I replied: no," he said: yes you know .. You know that you received money from the Gaza Strip, I said that I am a journalist and all that links me to Gaza is my work as a journalist".
He Added: “During the investigation, I was asked about my father and my brother who are in Israel jail and about my family in general. Also about my work, who are the managers of the channel I work with? The last report I prepared and what the report subject was? He also asked me about the last interview I had with a Hamas leader. I told him that I did not know that there are Hamas leaders in the West Bank. He also asked me if anyone was talking to me from Gaza outside the scope of work. He also asked me if anyone was talking to me from Gaza outside the scope of work, or if al-Aqsa TV has assigned me to photograph security headquarters or the president's house in the West Bank, and if Hamas is trying to smuggle money through al-Aqsa TV to the West Bank”.
Al- Khatib also said "On the second day, my detention was extended for 24 hours without investigation, and on the third day I was transferred to the Public Prosecutor's Office; my detention was extended for 48 hours. The same questions were addressed in a session not exceeding 15 minutes. On Wednesday, July 7, I was brought to the court and my detention was extended for 15 days”.
“Before I was released, the intelligence officer told me that I had to deliver a message to my colleague Mustapha al-Khawaja that the Palestinian intelligence service will arrest him and hang him up from his hair because of his posts on Facebook. I was released on 11/7 on a $ 1,000 unpaid personal bail”. He said.
(6/7) The Palestinian Preventive Security Service arrested the Palestine Today TV reporter Jihad Ibrahim Barakat (27 years) for three days, while he was returning to his town of Alar in Tulkarm Governorate after he took pictures for the Palestinian Prime Minister Dr. Rami al-Hamdallah convoy while waiting at the Israeli military checkpoint east of Tulkarm.
Barakat reported to MADA: “I was arrested 200 meters away from the Inab checkpoint by a civilians people in a civilian car from the prime minister's escorts, after they asked who had photographed the convoy and took me to the Preventive Security headquarters in Tulkarem, they asked me why I was taking pictures, I made it clear that I’m a journalist and that is my job.
“On the afternoon of the following day (Friday 7/7/2017), I was summoned for further investigation. The interrogator asked me for the passwords of my electronic devices and for my private accounts. When I refused to provide them and told him that this should be done by judicial order, I was transferred to the Preventive Security headquarters in Ramallah. There I underwent two interrogation sessions, in which the interrogator asked me to hand over the passwords; I refused to give it unless they show me a judicial decision. Then I was transferred to a cell that was wider and more ventilated than the Tulkarem cell”. He added.
On the morning of the third day of my detention, the Preventive Security Attorney took my statement. I was charged with being in suspicious circumstances, then my statement was written and the prosecutor refused my lawyer request to release me, and asked to attend another session on Sunday”.
On Sunday morning (9/7/2017) I met with the Attorney-General in his office, he issued a decision to release me with the guarantee of my place of residence and my pledge to attend the prosecution session on Monday morning and to pay a 1000 JD bail in case I did not attend, also I signed a declaration to delete the pictures of the procession of the Prime Minister and pledge not to keep another copy. On Monday, July 10, 2017, I went to the prosecutor's office. My file was transferred to the court and a trial session was scheduled for the same day, at the court hearing, I was charged with being in suspicious circumstances. I refused the charge against me and said that I am not guilty. The judge decided to postpone the hearing to 21/9/2017 to hear witnesses.”
(7/7) The Preventive Security Service in Tulkarem took the two press cards of Media Port reporter Mujahid Mohammed al-Sa'di, (29 years), and the cameraman at Trans Media Muthanna Samir Dik, (24 years), and confiscated their cameras.
al-Sa'di reported to MADA: “When The family of the journalist Jihad Barakat went to the Preventive Security office in Tulkarm to inquire about his arrest, my colleagues Muthanna and I went with them, As they entered the office we filmed them, then Security forces came and told us that it’s not allowed to take pictures, so we returned to our car. A few minutes later, a Security officer came and asked for our ID cards, he held them for about half an hour and gave them back to us as Jihad's family left the office”.
I suggested to my colleague Al-Muthanna to film the journalist Jihad’s family while they are leaving the office. At this moment, members of the Preventive Security came and confiscated the camera and asked us to leave the place under threat. My colleague Al Muthanna returned to the Preventive Security office on Sunday (9/7) and stayed there for four hours until he recovered the camera.
(7/7), Shehab agency cameraman in the Gaza Strip, Mohammed Bahaa al-Din Ahmed (30 years), was injured by a gas bomb fired by Israeli occupation forces during his coverage of events east of Shujaiya.
Ahmad said to MADA: “We, the crew of Shahab Media Agency, me and the broadcast engineer Manar Nasser and the agency's reporter Saad Assqoul, who also works as a reporter for Al-Aqsa TV channel went at 6 pm to cover a demonstration east of the Shujaiya to protest against the siege on Gaza Strip, the power outages and the deterioration of the situation, where they burned car tires near the border to express their anger”.
Ahmad added: "After covering this event, we wanted to have some interviews, after two minutes I was hit by a gas grenade that hit me in the chest (I was wearing a protective shield) and bounced down to the camera to bounce back and hit me in the right arm, I could not walk then so the people there helped me to reach the ambulance, which gave me first aid.”
(12/7) An Israeli occupation army force stormed the offices of Ramsat Company in Hebron city (the company provides media services to Al-Aqsa TV). The soldiers broke the main door of the office and confiscated some devices.
Alaa Jabr al-Titi, (35 years), Al-Aqsa TV reporter said to MADA: “At 03:00 AM on 12/7 an Israeli army force raided the office of the channel in Al-Maha building in Hebron. The main door of the office was destroyed and many of its contents were destroyed, and they confiscated the memory of the main computer (Hard Disk), Editing and outdoor broadcasting devices, computer memories (number 4), a camera valued at ($ 2500), files and documents.
Al-Titi added: "They left the office about an hour and a half after the raid. They left a paper containing a list of confiscated devices and the reason for the raid which was – as the paper said "working with terrorist organizations outside the law". And the paper also included this phrase "non-presence in the shop" which was vague and we could not understand it. It’s also pointed out that "the work of Al-Aqsa channel is prohibited from the point of view of the Israeli prosecution, but there are still hearings and no final court order to ban the work of the channel so far."
(12/7) Occupation army forces stormed the office of Pal-media[2] company in Hebron, (the company provides information services to Al Quds satellite channel), and confiscated some of its equipment after it broke the entrance of the company on the pretext of providing services to illegal parties.
Akram Natsheh (38 years) Al-Quds TV reporter said to MADA: “On 12/7 a force of the Israeli occupation army stormed the office of a Pal-Media company in Hebron. They removed the doors of the office and searched and confiscated the memories of five computers. They also left a paper containing what had been confiscated on the pretext of providing services to illegal destinations and left the place after about two hours. Natsheh pointed out that the office does not contain equipment and devices because its work is specialized in reports and news.”
(12/7) The Palestinian Preventive Security Service summoned the director of Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed newspaper in Ramallah, journalist Na’yla Khalil, (39 years) to investigate her. Khalil reported to MADA: “On Wednesday evening (12/7), I was informed by my family in Nablus that they had received a summon from the Preventive Security to go to their office in Beitunia, Ramallah. The summons mentioned that I am subject to arrest if I do not go”. The next day I took advantage of sit-in for journalists in front of the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation building. I informed all the attendees of the summon order in conjunction with the speech of the president of the Independent Commission for Human Rights, Ammar Dweik, who mentioned the previous understanding between the Journalists Syndicate and the Public Prosecution on preventing the arrest of journalists.”
She added: “I spoke with the President of the Journalists Syndicate, where he contacted the lawyer, Alaa Farjat, who told me he would be with me if I decided to go. I asked the President of the Syndicate to make a clear decision from the Syndicate whether it was with the summons or against it, he asked me to give him some time. An hour later, the head of the Freedoms Committee at the Syndicate called me and told me that the summon was canceled. I did not know why the summon was issued and why it was canceled.
(14/7) Israeli occupation police prevented at least seven journalists from covering the incident of killing three Palestinian youths and the killing of two Israeli police “border guard” in the courtyards of al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on July 14. Al-Hayat Al-Jadida newspaper reporter Diala Juhayhan told MADA: “On Friday (14/7) after the incident of the martyrdom of three young men and the killing of one Israeli policeman in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Israeli police set up barricades near Damascus Gate, and moved away the media crews."
She added: “Half an hour before the prayer time, the Israeli police began to remove the worshipers from the place, during our coverage of the assault on a young man in the area; the police attacked the people there without exception including journalists, and prevented us from coverage by forcing us to be behind the iron barricades. One of the policemen pushed me towards an iron barricades while I was sending a live message to Al-Hayat Al-Jadida newspaper, causing me pain in my stomach then he pushed me back towards the near wall.”
She also clarified that there were a number of other journalists who were denied coverage, they are: Journalist Maysa Abu Ghazala Ma'an Network reporter, Ghassan Eid Palestine Today TV cameraman, Mostafa Kharouf Anatolia Agency photographer, Firas Dibs Public Relations and Media Officer at the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem, the crew of Ro’ya TV the reporter Zina Sandoqa and the cameraman Ali Dawani who was subjected to a direct hit on his chest.
(15/7) The Palestinian Preventive Security Service summoned the reporter of the UAE 24 news agency Ali Nasr Obaidat (34 years). Obaidat reported to MADA: “I received a phone call from the Preventive Security Service on the afternoon of 15/7 telling me to that I have to go the next day to their office at 10 am. I told them to inform the journalists' syndicate about this. Shortly, they called me again and informed me that the syndicate had been notified of the summon.”
He added: “After contacting the journalists' Syndicate, I knew that they had no information about the summon, so I called the Preventive Security Service and told them that I would not show unless the summon was sent through the journalists' Syndicate. Later the Syndicate told me the matter was over and the summon was canceled”.
(15/7) The Palestinian Preventive Security Service summoned the Al-Ghad Al-Arabi TV reporter Rama Yousef Salah, (26 years), she is also an independent producer for Al-Jazeera English. Rama reported to MADA: “At 1 pm on 15/7, I received a phone call; the caller identified himself, and told me he is from the Preventive Security, and informed me that I have to go to their office next day - Sunday - at 10:00 o'clock, I asked him if there was a written summon, he replied no”.
She added: “I contacted the Journalists Syndicate and told them what had happened. The issue was resolved between Preventive Security and the Syndicate. But I knew through the syndicate that the summon came because they accuse me of incitement and working on media campaigns (related to the non-blocking campaign that was launched to reject the blocking of a number of news websites during the month of June), where they considered it an illegal campaign”.
(July 15) the Palestinian Intelligence Service in the city of Bethlehem detained the freelance journalist Abdel Muhsen Taysir Shalalda (25 years) for several hours. Shalalda reported to MADA: “On the afternoon of July 15, while I was in the center of Bethlehem city preparing a report about the citizens' opinions on the Cyber Crime law, three young men in civilian dress came to me and asked for my ID and to identify myself. But I did not give them any information until they identified themselves as Palestinian intelligence agents. After that, a car from the intelligence service came and took me to the intelligence office in Bethlehem".
He added: “After I arrived at the headquarters, they subjected me to an investigation that lasted about two hours about my life, my work as a journalist, why I’m working with this agency, and why I prepared the report. When I asked about my charges, the officer did not answer and issued a decision to transfer me to the court. Then I was detained for four hours in a cell. After that, they sent me back to the interrogation where they repeated the same questions. Then a decision was made to release me at about 10:30 pm, after efforts by a number of colleagues and the Journalists' Syndicate, also I received a summon to return on Monday 17/7 to the intelligence office at 10 am, but I did not go that day and they did not call me back".
(15/7) The Palestinian intelligence service arrested the freelance journalist Islam Zaal Salem (25 years) after he went to ask about the detention of his colleague journalist Abdel Mohsen Shalalda. Salem said to MADA: “At 12 noon, while I and my colleague Abdul Mohsen Shalaldeh were preparing a report in Bethlehem, he told me on phone that he was held by the Palestinian intelligence. I went to their office to ask about him. After I arrived there, they immediately confiscated my camera and detained me. They interrogated me intermittently throughout Four hours about my journalistic work, the report we are preparing, and for which network. I stayed there until the interrogation manager returned. I was released at 10:30 pm and the camera was returned to me. I have to go back to headquarters on Tuesday, July 18, but I did not go and I did not get any message from them about that”.
(15/7) The internal security in Gaza summoned the head of the Palestinian Network for Press and Information Nasr Abu Foul (29 years) on charges of incitement against the security forces in Gaza. Abo Al-Foul reported to MADA: “I received a phone call at 10 pm on July 15 from the Office of the General Director of the General Investigation in Gaza, Abu Ahmad, who summoned me to talk about a simple subject.
“I went the next morning to the interrogation office and waited from 9:00 am until 11:30 in an almost empty office room where a man named Abu Khalid came and sent me to the cell. After I explained to him my health status - as I’m sick with cancer - I was taken out of the cell. Abu Ahmad came at about 12:30, and explained that I incite against security authorities through misuse of technology, I denied it. Then the investigator came and directly accused me of inciting against the government in Gaza, and took my statement to the director and made me sign a commitment to compliance with the law and not publishing any publications against the government on Facebook. I left the place at about 1:30 pm”.
(15/7) The Internal security in Gaza Strip arrested the cartoonist Ismail Fayez al-Buzom (31 years) and interrogated him after he was summoned. Al-Buzom reported to MADA: "On the afternoon of July 15, I received a immediate summon from the Internal Security, so I went directly to the office. There, the security agents received me in an offensive and inappropriate way, (such as: Do you think yourself patriotic ... Your patriotism is clear from the look of your hair, as well as the insults like / shut up / and the pushing by hands). After the interrogation which lasted about 45 minutes, the officer asked me about things I had posted on my Facebook page and why I was asking for the dissolution of the (Reconciliation National Committee) in Gaza. "
Al-Bazem added: “The interrogator asked me for the password of my Facebook account and searched it. He asked me about my caricature and told me that it would be better for me to stay in the field of art and leave politics. Then I was transferred to a large room where I was alone for an hour before they move me to another room where there are a number of detainees. There, the officer at the door threatened to hit him when he heard me talking to another one in the room. I was released at about 11 pm, and I was handed a summon to return at 9 am on Tuesday, July 18.”
“On Tuesday I went to the Internal Security office. I was late little bit, so they reprimanded me, although I told them that the reason for my delay is the loss of the summon paper, and I did not remember the date, but the officer took my ID as a punishment, and told me to leave after about a 15 minutes.
(17/7) Israeli police prevented media crews from covering events in the al-Asbat Gate area in Jerusalem. Diala Joihan the reporter and photographer of Al-Hayat Al-Jadida newspaper reported to MADA: “While the police were searching a young man at the al-Asbat Gate. The police then prevented the media crews who were present from coverage and to keep them away and threatened them. Noting that in that place there were only media crews such as Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya”.
“During an interview with Mr. Hatem Abdel Qader, head of the Jerusalem file in Fatah movement, one of the soldiers listened to the conversation and accused the media crew of inciting against them. This led the police and security forces to gather all journalists in a certain corner and prevent them from conducting interviews elsewhere”.
(17/7) Jerusalem municipality crews issued fines against the broadcasting vehicles which belong to the media crews, at al-Asbat Gate. The broadcast engineer at Trans Media Company Nader Munir Saliba (30 years) who was broadcasting for Palestine Today TV said to MADA: “While working as a broadcast engineer with the crew of Palestine today TV at al-Asbat Gate to cover the events that followed the closure of Al Aqsa Mosque on 17/7, the occupation municipality crew came and released a fine of 250 shekels claiming that our broadcasting car stand in a place where parking is prohibited. Despite the fact that a broadcasting car belongs to Channel 10 from Israeli television was standing near us without being fined. The municipality staff just warned them to stay away from the place”.
He added: “The next day and during my work with the same channel in the same area also another fine was made (250) NIS, the policeman ordered me to move to another place he had agreed to, but another policeman came and released a third fine to me in the same amount. The fines will automatically double if they are not paid within 90 days. Al Jazeera's broadcasting car was also subjected to three fines on 17, 18 and 19/7 with the same amount and the same arguments."
(18/7) Israeli forces arrested the reporter for the Palestine Post and Arab 21, Radwan Abdel Qader Qitani, (28 years), from his home in Askar refugee camp in Nablus. His brother Ali told MADA: “Israeli occupation forces stormed our house in 'Askar refugee camp at around 3:00 AM in (18/7). They searched the house and arrested my brother Radwan. They took him to the library next to the house and searched it and confiscated a laptop”.
In another statement, Ali said: “Later on, we knew from Addameer organization lawyer Samer Sama'neh that on Sunday, July 23, Radwan was transferred to the (Petah Tikva interrogation center), but until now no charges against him because he is still in the investigation stage. Therefore, no indictment has been issued against him, and he is not allowed to meet with the lawyer.”
(18/7) Israeli occupation police attacked Al-Jazeera channel videographer in Jerusalem Latifa Radwan Abdel Latif while covering the events in Jerusalem city. Abdel Latif reported to MADA: “on 18/7 while I was covering the evening (Ishaa’) prayers at al-Asbat Gate after the closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the subsequent events, the police attacked all those present there with sound, gas bombs, and rubber bullets. During my filming, two police officers attacked me from behind and hit me hard on the back, injuring me in various parts of my body. I received field treatment from the medical staff in the area”.
(18/7) Director of Jerusalem Media Center Mohammed Kamel Al-Sadiq (38 years) was wounded by a rubber bullet in the left leg fired by Israeli police while covering clashes in Jerusalem. Al-Sadiq reported to MADA: “While I was covering the evening (Ishaa’) prayer at al-Asbat Gate in Jerusalem city on the evening of July 18, the police attacked the people there. I was standing far from the citizens, and it was clear that I’m doing my job as a journalist".
He added: “A police officer pushed me and drove me away after they started firing gas and sound bombs. I hid in a nearby garage with a group of Jerusalemites, but the police quickly attacked the garage and drove us out. As I was walking away from al-Asbat Gate, they started firing sound bombs and rubber bullets and I was hit in my right leg with a rubber bullet”.
(18/7) Al-Quds satellite channel reporter Ranad Marwan Sharabati, (24 years), was wounded in the nose by shrapnel from a gas bomb fired by Israeli police while covering events in Jerusalem, Sharabati said to MADA: “After the removal of the iron gates in front of the Al-Aqsa Gates, and the people start entering to the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard from the al-Asbat Gate, Israeli special forces stormed Al-Aqsa and fired sound bombs, gas, and rubber bullets at everyone. And while I was covering these incidents, I was targeted with a gas bomb that exploded very close to me. I was injured by shrapnel in my nose and I received a field treatment before I was transferred to Al-Aqsa Mosque clinic where the wound was treated. An hour later, I went to the (center of life) in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood where the doctor asked me not be exposed to sunlight for 10 days”.
Al-Quds satellite channel reporter Ranad Marwan Sharabati wounded in the nose by shrapnel from a gas bomb fired by Israeli police
(18/7) A female soldier from the Israeli occupation army prevented a reporter from the Maan TV station, Du'aa Yahya al-Atrash, (26 years), from covering the shooting and killing of a Palestinian youth, claiming that he intended to stab soldiers at the Beit-Einoun junction near Hebron.
Al-Atrash said to MADA: “The occupation forces prevented journalists from covering the incident at the Beit-Einoun junction, which made me use my mobile phone to take pictures, but when a female soldier saw me with my phone, she pushed me, causing the phone to fall on the ground. This was followed by a verbal argument between us, and then she took the phone and removed all the images from it”.
(19/7) the Palestinian Preventive Security Service summoned and questioned the freelancer photographer Mohammed Shukri Awad, (30 years). Awad reported to MADA: “A Preventive Security vehicle came to my house in Budrus village near Ramallah city and handed my wife a summon for me on 19/7. I contacted the head of the Freedoms Committee at the Journalists' Syndicate, Muhammad al-Lahham, and the Journalists' Syndicate chief Nasser Abu Bakr. They told me that they will follow up, but I did not receive any response from them.”
I went to the Preventive Security office on time, and after waiting for half an hour, I was questioned in a friendly way about half an hour. I was asked about my work as a journalist, where I work, what I photograph, and left the office at about 12:00 Pm.”
(19/7) The Freelancer photographer Saeed Abdel Nasser Rukon[3] (28 years) was injured by two sound bombs in two separate incidents during his coverage of events in Jerusalem on 19 and 20/7. Rukon reported to MADA: “During the coverage of the clashes near al-Asbat Gate after the evening prayer, a sound bomb fired by the Israeli police during the suppression of the worshipers hit my right foot on the evening of 19/7, caused me a slight injury. It was repeated the next day 20/7 when I was hit by another sound bomb in the same place while covering the clashes that took place in the same location. I received field treatment”.
(18/7) The Palestine TV cameraman in Jerusalem, Ali Sami Yassin, (25 years), was hit by a sound bomb while covering events in Jerusalem. Yassin reported to MADA: “While I was in the al-Asbat gate area of Jerusalem to cover the noon prayer on 19/7, the Israeli police used sound bombs against all people in the area after the prayer. I was slightly injured in my left foot”.
(19/7) Israeli occupation police prevented several media crews from covering the events in the city of Jerusalem and threatened some of them and targeted others to force them to leave the scene of events where the correspondent and photographer of Al-Hayat Al Jadida Diala Jweyhan reported to MADA "I was in the area of Bab Al- Asbat -Lions Gate accompanied with the reported of Al Quds Education TV Layali Ziad Eid and their photographer Anan Alnatsheh to cover events in a high area of the Lions Gate after the noon prayer, we were surprised by a group of the Israeli police come towards us and threaten us with weapons and ask us to stay away from the place or they will fire at us or we will be arrested”.
She also added "In the same day and shortly afterwards, I was with Maisa Abu Ghazaleh, a correspondent for Ma'an network, and Palestinian TV photographer Jehad al-Muhtasib in the same place when we were being targeted by sound bombs, forcing us to move away”.
(20/07), a Reuters photographer in Jerusalem, Sinan Abdullah Abu Mezer, 45years, was seriously wounded by an Israeli policeman who beat him with a heavy stick on his head while covering events in Jerusalem as he reported to MADA “At 11 pm, while I was standing behind a tree and a pillar covering the Israeli police's oppression of the worshipers there after they performed the evening prayers at the site, with stun grenades and beatings, a youth ran towards me as I was standing in a safe spot a policeman followed him and hit us both with the stick, I was hit on my head with a heavy blow, which caused a severe injury "
He added “At first, I received field treatment and completed my work, but when I went the next day to a medical center in Beit Hanina, I was transferred to Hadassah Ein Karem hospital. There I had seven stitches and left the hospital at 04:00 am”.
(21/7) The correspondent of Ma'an TV station, Du'aa Yahya al-Atrash, 26years, was hit by a sound grenade fired by Israeli soldiers during a storming operation into Aliya Governmental Hospital in Hebron. Al-Atrash reported that "when the Israeli occupation army stormed Alia Hospital, they suppressed all civilians there including journalists with sound and gas bombs, resulting in a sound bomb hit my back but causing no harm as I was wearing a protective shield”.
(21/07) Israeli Occupation police prevented a number of journalists from covering events that took place in Salah al-Din Street and Al-Tur town in Jerusalem and threatened to target them. A reporter and photographer of Al-Hayat Al-Jadida newspaper in Jerusalem Diala Jweyhan reported to MADA “while I was covering the events in Salah Al din Street Israeli Policemen pushed me and prevented me from covering and documenting the events that were taking place. Also, an independent producer Darin Naeem Al-Jubeh, who was also present at the scene, was prevented from covering these events. "
She also added "On the same day (July 21), I went to Al-Tur neighborhood to cover the incident of the martyr Mohammed Abu Ghannam there, and while I and my colleague Dana Abu Shamsa, Palestine TV correspondent and Palestinian TV photographer Amir Abed Rabbo, covered the event, a soldier headed towards us pointing his weapon towards trying to threaten us to leave the place, so we had to escape from the place immediately”.
(21/07) Israeli Occupation soldiers attacked Mashhour Hassan Wahwah, 33 years, WAFA agency photographer in the city of Hebron several times, by beating and throwing a sound grenade at him. They also attacked the correspondent of the French news agency Hazem Badr. As Wahwah reported to MADA “ I was at the –Corner Gate- of the city of Hebron in order to cover the march organized in solidarity and for the victory of the Al-Aqsa Mosque after Friday prayers, where IOF headed towards us and deliberately attacked the journalists, they started beating me and my colleague, photographer of the French news agency Hazem Badr”.
He also added "On the same day, after I received a report about the Israeli army raid into Aliya Governmental Hospital, I went to cover the raid. The soldiers tried to prevent me from covering and beat me, while a soldier fired a sound bomb at me, causing my injuries and minor burns to my left foot."
(21/07) Israeli police prevented Arab Sky News crew from covering the killing Mohammed Abu Ghannam from Al-Tur in esat Jerusalem, and besieging and raided Al-Makassed Hospital, where Sky News correspondent Sherine Fawzi Younis, 37 years, reported to MADA “On the evening of July 21, I and my colleagues, video photographer Mohammed Abu Hadwan (37 years) and Muammar Ghazi Yassin (40 years), went to Makassed Hospital to cover the incident of the martyrdom of Abu Ghannam and to cover the raid of Makassed Hospital. The police were there and prevented us from entering so we could not cover the incident, even though I informed them several times I am a journalist”.
She added, "The police officers pushed us all away, when I asked about the reasons for the repression of journalists, one of them answered that these are the instructions of the commander of the Jerusalem Brigade police”.
(21/7) the photographer of WAFA agency in Jerusalem, Afif Hanna Amira (34 years), was wounded with a rubber bullet in the chest as he reported to MADA "Immediately after Friday prayers (July 21), citizens began to gather in Ras al- Amoud in solidarity with Al Aqsa Mosque , And the atmosphere was very tense. The Israeli police started trying to disperse the people with rubber bullets and sound bombs, and while shooting these events from a side area, I was hit by a sound bomb and a rubber bullet in my chest”.
He added, "I stayed on the ground for a few minutes until my colleagues came and gave me field treatment, and then I was taken to Makassed Hospital where I received treatment and left the place at about 7 pm”.
(21/07) a correspondent at MA’AN TV channel, Mirna Jamal al-Atrash, 30 years, was burned in the face by a gas bomb fired by an Israeli soldier. She reported to MADA “At about 3:00 pm on the evening of July 21 at the entrance to the northern Bethlehem (Rachel's Tomb). As the soldiers were passing through the gate, a gas bomb hit me directly from a distance of zero but did not cause me harm because I wore a protective shield and a helmet. But I got burns in my face due to the gas emitted directly from them in my face”.
She also added, "It was true that it was not severe burns but clear enough as my skin was pigmented, hence, I went to a woman who treated burns with alternative medicine where she treated me”.
(21/7) the head of the Freedoms Committee of the Journalists' Syndicate, and a journalist with Ma'an network, Mohammed Abdel-Nabi Lahham, 50 years, was suffocated and slightly fractured while covering clashes with Israeli soldiers in Bethlehem, as he reported to MADA “After the Friday prayers (July 21) IOF fired tear gas and heavy bombs and sprayed wastewater towards the crowds, I was directly targeted and while I was trying to escape the place and move backwards I lost the ability to improvise what led me to fall on the ground and got suffocated with the gas”.
He added, "I went to the hospital of the Arab Association for Rehabilitation, and the tests showed the existence of numbness in the right hand due to severe pain, and the presence of compression fracture in the lumbar spine."
(21/7) Israeli occupation forces held the crew of Ma'an TV in the northern West Bank’s Correspondent Ihab Badr al-Damiri (29 years) and video photographer Muayed Issa Ashqar (35 years) about two and a half hours while preparing a report on the town of Shufa in Tulkarem, as Ashqar reported to MADA "After we reached the checkpoint of the village of Shufa, which we were reporting on, I was photographing the area from a distance of approximately 25 meters. After the report was completed, we were surprised by an Israel military jeep following us and demanding our IDs under the pretext that it is prohibited to film in the area and it is a military closed zone”.
He also added "The soldier asked me to give him the camera, but I refused. We were held for two and a half hours in the camp near the checkpoint. During this period, the soldier asked me more than once to delete the material so that our personal IDs could be returned to us and to release us as The Palestinian and Israeli liaison is stopped so it cannot help us, and instead, we contacted the Red Cross, but it was useless. After the soldier told me that there was an order from the Israeli liaison officer to delete the picture material to release us, I called the office and informed them of what is happening, I deleted the material from the camera and we were released around 3 pm ".
(21/07) The director of Al-Hayat Al-Jadida newspaper in Hebron, Mohammed Fawzi Khalil Shuweiki, 73 years , was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet fired by Israeli soldiers while he was covering clashes near Alia Governmental Hospital as he reported to MADA “I was in Alia Hospital Street in Hebron to cover the events, where clashes broke out between the Palestinian youths there and the occupation soldiers. "
He added "During that time, I was hit by a rubber bullet fired by the soldiers in the elbow of my right hand. I was taken by ambulance to Alia hospital and there I received the necessary treatment”.
(22/7) Israeli occupation police assaulted freelance photographer Rami al-Khatib (35 years) with beatings while he was in the Bab al-Asbat area in Jerusalem to cover events there. Al-Khatib reported to MADA, "I went to the Bab al-Asbat area to cover the events there. When I arrived there a police demanded my ID and press card, and after I gave him and confirmed that I am a photographer he began to provocative and beat me but I held my hands behind my back and tried not to do any movement against him what provoked him and made him punch me on my chest and push me to forcibly force me to leave the place”.
(22/7) Israeli police assaulted the correspondent of the Russia today channel in Jerusalem, Dalia Isam Al-Namari, 34years, while covering events in the Bab al-Asbat area of Jerusalem, she reported to MADA "during our coverage of confrontations after the Maghrib (evening) prayer on July 22 , And after the beatings of Palestinian youth the Israeli police cars, Israeli Police began to throw sound bombs at the citizens. "
She added "While I was standing near a military checkpoint, police officers attacked me from the back and one of them hit me hard on the back. I do not know if it was with a stick or anything else, and then I was also pushed by another policeman."
She also added, "As the pain in my back intensified, the next day I went to the doctor, who told me there was bruising in my back as a result of the blow”.
(22/07) Israeli occupation authorities detained the freelance journalist Ragheed Mohammed Tabassiya, 24 years, at Al Karama crossing during his return from a training course held in Doha, Qatar, and interrogated him as he reported to MADA “I arrived at 13:30 to the Karama bridge The Israeli security forces kept my passport and I remained in custody until 4:30 pm, as they entered me to interrogation”.
He added "The interrogator asked me about my travel, where I went and why, and asked me about the $ 900 I had. I told him that this amount remained with me from the total of $ 1,500, but he accused me of planning to send this money to terrorist organizations in the West Bank.after they confiscated the money I was deported to the Ma'ale Adumim interrogation center- settlement and there I was interrogated again for half an hour about this money. "
He also added, "Before I was released at 7 pm, the interrogator told me that a trial session will be set for me, and I might be able to recover the money they had taken, but he did not tell me when I will assign a lawyer to follow up my case”.
(22/7) the freelance photographer Said Abdel Nasser Rukon was attacked by the Israeli police in the area of Bab al-Asbat on two consecutive days. As he reported to MADA "After the evening prayer on the July 22, clashes took place between the youths and the Israeli occupation police in the area of Bab al-Asbat where the police sprayed the citizens with wastewater. During the coverage of these incidents, a number of police officers attacked me and subjected me to several random blows in different parts of my body, I fell on the ground and shattered my camera lens. "
He added "The next day (23/7), I was hit by a sound bomb in my left foot, which led to minor bruises. I received field treatment, which was around 22:00 after the evening prayer, where the clashes were renewed in the same place."
(23/07)- Radio Bethlehem 2000, photographer Ramez Samir Awwad, a 24-year, was wounded by a tear gas canister fired at him by the Israeli soldiers while he was covering events at Qalandia checkpoint. As he reported to MADA” I was covering clashes broke out at the Qalandia checkpoint south of Ramallah at around 17:00 on 23/07, in solidarity and victory for Al-Aqsa Mosque, when I was hit by a gas bomb in my neck that resulted in moderate burns. I received field treatment with the medical teams of the Red Crescent. "
He added, "My colleague Laith Ahed Tmizi (19 years) was also injured, a photographer with the Quds News Network was also in a state of suffocation as a result of the soldiers firing tear gas bombs".
(24/7) Israeli soldiers targeted a group of Palestinian journalists as they covered a student demonstration at the Beit El checkpoint in Al-Bireh and fired sound bombs at them to prevent them from covering. As the reporter of Al ghad Al Arabi Al Jadeed Diaa Ahmed Houshia, 33 years reported to MADA “On 24/07 we were covering a student demonstration at the Beit El checkpoint. The Israeli soldiers started firing gas bombs and deliberately fired live bombs at the journalists, in order to disperse them and prevent them from covering. Al-Quds TV correspondent Linda Shalsh, , The correspondent of Palestine Today Jihad Barakat, and Wafa News Agency reporter Rasha HarazAllah were also in the area”.
(25/7) Al-Quds TV correspondent Fatima Abd el-Bakri, 33, was severely burned in the neck by a bomb fired by an Israeli policeman at a short distance in the Bab al-Asbat area while covering events. As she reported to MADA” After al Eishaa (night) Prayer I was at Bab al Asbat near the broadcast car of Al-Quds satellite channel to live stream the events. I was targeted by a bomb fired by one of the policemen from a distance of zero, it hit me in the neck, causing burns to my neck and burning my hair from behind. Also my colleague videographer of Ro’ya Tv Ali Mohammed Duwani, who was standing next to me suffer from a minor injury due to bombs shrapnel of the bomb. "
He also added, "The bomb contained a strange green substance, the first time I saw, and I was taken to Makassed Hospital where I received the necessary treatment there and left the hospital at about midnight”.
(25/7) Israeli occupation police arrested the photographer of the group of Active-still and magazine (+972) Fayez Hamza Abu Rumaila and interrogated him and beat him more than once, he reported to MADA "After Al Eshaa prayer, I left the area of the door of the tribes Lions Gate towards the Aqsa Mosque and when I arrived The first of the street was a place where journalists and I were gathered, while I and my colleagues (freelance photographer Rami Khatib, and Mustafa Kharouf, photographer of the Turkish Anatolia agency, Ahmed Safadi, Director of the Elia’ media , Iyad al-Tawil, Al Jazeera camera man and three other foreign journalists who I do not know their names) we were attacked by the Israeli Police and pushed us with their hands”.
"Although we told them that we were journalists, two of them arrested me, and I was taken to the police station of the A al Asbat Gate and confiscated my identity card and questioned about my religion. I refused to answer because it was a racist question and I told them that my card was in your possession so why you are asking then they confiscated my camera and due to the argument I had with the policeman he attacked, beat me and threatened to break my head if I spoke in a blunt way. "
"Then they deported me to the Qishla detention center, and during the deportation, I was beaten and cursed with obscene language. Sometimes I responded. I remained in the center of Qishla from 11 pm until 3 am. I was sitting on a chair with my hands tied. And after the interrogation, I was charged/obstructing the work of the Israeli police and pushing a policeman. I rejected this claim and told them that I had a video that confirm my statement. After the investigator checked the video, he told me he was dissatisfied with my arrest. I was released at 05:00 am “.
(26/07) Israeli police assaulted the Palestine TV crew in Jerusalem and prevented them from covering the events at the Lions Gate in East Jerusalem. Palestinian TV correspondent in Jerusalem, Dana Ghazi Abu Shamsiya, 25years, reported that "at 08:50 am on 26/July I and my colleague, a videographer at Palestine TV Ronia Jwehan (42 years). We were getting ready for live broadcast. A policeman asked us to stand in a specific place and we complied. But after we started the demo, the policeman came and prevented us from filming. Under the pretext that we have no permit despite the fact that we showed him our press cards. "
She added "But we did not respond to his orders and we began to broadcast live, but he closed the camera lens and started exiling us from the place, but we continued talking while he was covering the lens with his hand, and when I noticed that he was pushing my colleague Ronia, I tried to stop him he attacked me and pushed me away. About two minutes later, a police vehicle with a policewoman headed towards us and threatened me to transfer me to interrogation if we stayed in the place, I asked where should we stay? He responded near one of the checkpoints that is located in the Lions gate lower area, they called the intelligence forces who accompanied us till we reached the place they mentioned, during which they were pampering with the broadcast equipment until they destructed the cable of the broadcast and the live stream was cut”.
(26/07) Israeli police officers in Jerusalem beat a video cameraman for Sky News Arabiya Muhammad Musa Abu Hadwan, 37years, where Abu Hadwan reported that "between 10:30 and 11:30 on July 26, I was at the Lions Gate area to cover the incident of an Israeli police assault on one of the youths. Police officers attacked me and beat me brutally with insults and verbal abuse. They prevented me from filming and exiled me from the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. "
(26/07) Israeli police prevented the crew of Al-Quds Educational TV from covering events in the area of Bab al-Asbat. According to TV correspondent Layali Ziad Eid, "During the course of my stay, I and my colleague Anan Al-Natsheh the videographer of the same TV station, to cover an assault against a youth, one of the police officers pushed me with his hand and told me that the press should move away from the place and go near the barriers and prevent me from filming."
(27/7) the cameraman of Ro’ya TV channel, Ali Mohammed Duwani, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in his knee while covering events in Jerusalem after the Israelis opened the doors of Al-Aqsa Mosque and allowed the Palestinians to enter its yards he reported to MADA “While I was documenting the clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli police in Al-Aqsa Square, I was targeted with a rubber-coated metal bullet that hit me in the right knee”.
(27/7) An Israeli policeman assaulted a Palestinian photographer and correspondent in Palestine Today TV, Lewa’ Abu Rumeileh, 26 years, while covering the Jerusalemites' celebrations by removing the electronic gates set by the occupation at the entrances of Al-Aqsa Mosque, she reported to MADA “On 27/7 While I was photographing Jerusalemite celebrations in Al Aqsa Square, after the occupation authorities removed the electronic gates from the entrances of al-Aqsa, an Israeli policeman approached me and pushed me to the ground, causing my knee to be injured and to twist my toe. I received treatment at Al-Aqsa clinic; the other day bruises were clear at my hands due to the fact that I fall on the ground”.
(27/07) -Israeli occupation forces arrested Al-Aqsa TV correspondent Mustafa Abdel Razeq Al-Khawaja, 27years, from his house in the town of Ni'lin, west of Ramallah. he reported to MADA” IOF raided my house in Ni'lin, Ramallah governorate, and searched and pampered with its equipment. When they saw cash money (containing NIS 2000 all metal pieces) they confiscated it on the pretext that they were used to support terrorism. They also confiscated another NIS 520”.
He added "The soldiers threatened to confiscate my car and a laptop belonging to my wife, but it did not happen, I was blindfolded and deported to the Binyamin police station east of Ramallah, and I was interrogated for a short time about the amount of the money and where did I get it I replied I gained it from my work in a supermarket, I was released at around 08:00 am”.
(28/7) Palestine TV cameraman, Bashar Mahmud Nazzal, 38 years, was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the neck while covering the peaceful demonstration of anti-settlement in Kafr Qaddum as he reported to MADA “Israeli Occupation forces oppressed a demonstration of anti-settlement that was organized in Kufr Qaddum on 28/07 with stun grenades and rubber bullets, which resulted in a rubber bullet in my neck, which was a minor injury and was treated on the ground by pieces of ice. "
In the photo, Israeli policemen assaulted a journalist in Jerusalem
(29/7)- IOF raided the office of Pal Media in the city of Ramallah, and the headquarters of several television channels that Pal Media provide with Media Services. According to news and media sites, the Israeli occupation forces besieged the building stormed on 29/07 the building where Pal Media is located and destructed the main entrance and pampered its equipment as the Israeli army radio reported that the army raided several media headquarters "suspected of providing inciting material".
According to various reports and sources, these raids incursions included the headquarters of Al-Quds satellite channels, Al-Mayadeen TV and Russia today and Pal Media.[4]
Alaa Hassan al-Rimawi, 38years, director of Al-Quds satellite channel whose headquarters were raided in this operation reported to MADA “ the Israeli army raided the Tower of Palestine, where the office of Al-Quds satellite channel is located, and broke down several headquarters located there. They destructed the entrance door of the channel and destructed many of its contents and equipment and confiscated a large archive of information materials, including materials for the recent events in Jerusalem, computers and (Hard disk /10 in total), DVD players and two mobile phones, and left the place after about three hours, leaving a paper listing the equipment they confiscated, and the reason of the raid is " providing services to illegal organization ".
In the same operation and time, they also raided the headquarters of Al-Mayadeen channel, which is located in the same building, Dr. Nasser Al-Lahham, director of the channel's office in Ramallah, reported to MADA "The doors were broken and they entered the headquarters of Al-Mayadeen TV( According to the Israeli Army Radio, they were looking for provocative materials and information) But nothing has been confiscated from the headquarters. We do not know what they mean in materials and information because the headquarters contains only transmitters and there is nothing written. At the same time, no devices were confiscated. All they have done was tampering with the contents of the headquarters without any harm and they did not leave any paper explaining why the raid took place and left the place after an hour”.
(29/7) -The cameraman and producer of the German RTL channel Rajai Mahfouz al-Khatib, 38 years, was severely beaten by the Israeli police, causing him a serious knee ruptured while he was filming the removal of the electronic gates set by the occupation at the entrances of Al-Aqsa Mosque. He reported to MADA”At dawn on July 2, I climed the wall of Jerusalem to film the removing bridges and electronic gates because the perimeter of Al-Aqsa Mosque was a closed military zone. After filming the process and I was outside the walls of al-Aqsa, police officers attacked me and asked me about the camera's memory, I had replaced the chip with another empty one, And when I refused to give them the memory, they hit me with two beatings on my right knee, causing me a severe rupture of the hamstring as the MRI showed, and smashed the microphone in the camera. "
"I was barely able to reach headquarters of the Mufti of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, who helped me to go to the Makassed hospital. From there I was transferred to the The Shaare Zedek Medical Center. I had a device installed in my knee to stabilize my knee. I left the hospital after 3 hours. But I have to check up with the hospital three days a week to have a massage, as I was still using a stick while walking. "
He said that the Israeli police "fined me (1000) shekels in the same place hours before the attack, on the pretext of wearing a hat on my head, the policeman told me it belongs to terrorists”.
(29/7)- Palestinian TV correspondent Christine Reinawi, 28 years, was attacked and defamed on some social networking sites followin phone call from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. She reported to MADA "On Thursday (27/7), I received a phone call from President Mahmoud Abbas in the presence of the General Supervisor of Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation Ahmed Assaf, in which the President thanked the Palestine Television crew for their efforts in covering the events of Al-Aqsa over two weeks, and I expressed my thanks for the President and said that the people of Jerusalem are grateful for your national stand, which contributed to their support and led to achieve the historic victory, in reference to the PA decision to stop the security coordination between Israel and Palestine”.
She added "After the news spread of this call I was subjected to a campaign of incitement and distortion on social media against me / demanding the removal of Christine Renawi from Jerusalem, on the pretext that I have scored the victory of Jerusalemites to the efforts of the PA and President Mahmoud Abbas, I do not know specifically who was behind This campaign, which lasted about two days but I knew that youth groups loyal to Mohammed Dahlan and some of them close to Hamas is the one who stood behind it”.
In the photo: The cameraman and producer of the German RTL channel Rajai Mahfouz al-Khatib was severely beaten by the Israeli police
