Ramallah – (8th Sep. 2019) – August 2019 has witnessed a modest decline in the number of violations against media freedoms in Palestine, which resulted from the decrease in the number of Facebook closures of Palestinian journalists and news websites claiming that “they have violated the criteria of Facebook”.
The Palestinian Center for Development & Media Freedoms “MADA” has documented a total of 31 attacks during August 2019 (compared to a total of 38 attacks documented during July), 17 of which were committed by the Israeli Occupation while 4 violations were committed by Palestinian Authorities. Moreover, the Facebook has closed 8 pages for Palestinian journalist and news websites during this month, noting that Facebook has closed 16 pages belonging to Palestinian journalists and news websites during July.
Israeli Violations:
The Israeli violations have not witnessed any change in number or type of violations as a total of 17 Israeli attacks have been documented during August, a similar record to that witnessed in July (18 attacks). They also have not witnessed any change in type and most of them fall under the most serious attacks against media freedoms and lives of journalists.
The Israeli attacks included 6 physical injuries by live, rubber and metal bullets, and two beating assaults, one of which injured the journalist Iyad Hamad causing a fracture to his foot, three arrests, one travel ban, two cases in which media materials were deleted, summoning and questioning, this is in addition to more than one procedure of preventing coverage which included a group of journalists.
The Israeli attacks were as follows: Osama Sharif Mohammad Al-Kahlout (gunshot in his leg), Hatem Sa’di Omar (rubber bullet in both legs), Nidal Fawzi Sulaiman Abu Sharbi (rubber bullet in the hand), Ibrahim Abu Marsa (rubber bullet in the abdomen), Ali Jadallah (rubber bullet in the head), Suhaib Hijazi Hussein Salhab (metal bullet in the thigh), Iyad Nimer Hamad (assaulted causing fracture to leg), Mays Abu Ghoush (arrested), Mohammad Ali Ateeq (arrested for 12 days), Abdelmuhsen Tayseer Shalaldeh (arrested), Majdoleen Rida Hassouna (banned from travelling), Hafeth Abu Sabra (suffocated), Hisham Kamel Abu Shaqra (detained and prevented from coverage), Saleh Hamad (deleting materials), Mutasem Saqf Al-Hait (deleting materials and assaulted in two separate accidents), in addition to summoning and questioning the Head of Sports Section at Al-Quds Newspaper, Muneer Al-Ghoul, in connection to the memorial service of one of the sports characters in Jerusalem.
Palestinian Violations:
The Palestinian violations remained at very low rates despite a slight increase in August compared to the previous month, July, even though the increase is limited to violations committed in Gaza Strip.
The number of Palestine violations increased from 4 during July to 6 during August, 5 of which were committed in Gaza Strip while one only was committed in the West Bank, namely: the Internal Security Service in Gaza Strip has arrested the photojournalist Mohammad Al-Arbeed, and assaulting Hani Abu Rizeq by Hamas security officers and Al-Azhar University Security while he was filming events taking place in the University. This is in addition to detaining the journalists Amro Ahmad Tabash and Amer Al-Sultan by officers of the General Intelligence in Khan Younes, Gaza Strip, while they were preparing a report on the performance of Khan Younes Municipality, they were questioned and prevented from preparing the report, detaining the cameraman Mujahed Mohammad Sa’di by officers of the Palestinian Intelligence Service while he was filming the moment of a prisoner’s arrival to his town after being released from the Israeli Occupation prisons (Mujahed was detained to check his ID but he did not have it then).
Details of Violations:
(1st August) Facebook closed at least 6 pages of Palestinian local journalists and news agencies claiming that “they violate the Facebook privacy criteria”.
According to the follow-up of MADA researcher, Facebook Administration, on the 1st of August 2019, has closed “Palestine Net” Page, followed by about 20,000 users, not to mention that on the 5th of the same month it has closed “Al-Ray Palestinian News Agency” in Gaza, followed by about 8167 users. Moreover, on the 15th of the same month, Al-Raed News Network, followed by about 5,000 persons was also closed and on the 20th “Al-Hadf Agency” followed by about 64,000 users was closed. Additionally, the page of freelance cameraman, Hassan Mustafa Iseifan, followed by about 5,000 users was closed and so the page of the journalist Hani Al-Shaer, followed by about 6500 users.
It is worth mentioning that MADA has documented, in previous reports, the closure of dozens of Facebook Pages, without warning, belonging to Palestinian journalists and media professionals in addition to closing Palestinian news pages claiming that “they violate the Facebook community criteria”.
(2nd August) As part of the weekly peaceful return marches in Gaza Strip, a march has taken place on Friday 2nd august 2018 east of Bureij Camp under the title “the Friday of Wadi Al-Hummus catastrophe” in which hundreds of demonstrators have taken part and it lasted from 4:00PM – 7:00PM.
According to the investigations of MADA researcher, the photojournalist, Osama Sharif Mohammad Al-Kahlout, 3 years old, from Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, a freelance journalist, has arrived, at around 5:00PM, on Friday, corresponding 2nd august 2019, to the area located east of Bureij, to cover the weekly peaceful return march taking place there. He was wearing the PRESS uniform. Upon his arrival, he started filming the demonstrators and on the other side of the separation (border) fence the Israeli soldiers and snipers were deployed. While he was behind a group of demonstrators, 200 meters away from the separation fence, along with other journalists, and while he was lie broadcasting through his personal page the events of the demonstration directly, at around 5:50PM, he received a phone call from an Israeli number that starts with (04). When he answered the phone call, he did hear anything from the caller. After 5 second, one of the Israeli snipers stationed on the other side of the fence fired a bullet at him injuring his left leg. Immediately, the paramedics in the area took him directly to the field medical point 100 meters away from the location where the doctors found that he was injured by a bullet (causing an entry and exit). Then he was directly to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital where he arrived at 6:30PM and the doctors images his leg which showed that he was injured by an M16 bullet causing entry and exit, specifically in the leg muscle where the bullet injured only the muscles not the bones. The wound was cleansed and stitched and he was given antibiotics. At around 7:30PM on the same day, he was discharged provided he shall come back to the hospital on 4th August 2019 to check on his medical condition.
(2nd August) The journalist Hatem Sa’di Omar was injured by rubber bullets in both legs while he was covering the peaceful march taking place east of Khan Younes, Gaza Strip.
According to the investigations of MADA field researcher, Hatem Sa’di Omar, 39 years old, a photojournalist of Xinhua News Agency, has arrived at around 4:00PM, on Friday, 2nd August 2019 to the border area east of Khan Younes, southern Gaza Strip. He was carrying a photographic camera and wearing the PRESS vest and helmet, not to mention that he was carrying a “muzzle” to protect himself from the gas. He went there to cover the peaceful march as part of the return marches. He was standing with a group of journalists at a distance of 150 meters away from “Jakr Street” adjacent to the separating border fence on the other side of which the soldiers were deployed. He started filming the events as the occupation forces were firing gas bombs and live bullets at the demonstrators. At around 6:00PM, he was injured by two rubber bullets in both legs. He was transferred by the paramedics who were there to the medical point established 500 meters away from the separation fence where he received the necessary first aid and stayed for 15 minutes for some rest. At around 6:30PM, he left and returned home in Rafah. On his way, one of his friend took him to Abu Yousef Al-Najjar to check on his condition as he witnessed redness and swelling in both legs. The injury was imaged in the hospital and it showed that there were no fractures or danger as the supervising physician stated. At around 7:30PM, he was discharged and returned home.
(2nd August) The occupation soldiers assaulted the journalist Iyad Hamad which resulted in causing fracture to his leg in addition to assaulting a number of his colleagues while they were covering a sit-in in Wadi Al-Hummus against the demolition of housings.
According to the investigations of MADA researcher, a group of journalists have arrived, on Friday corresponding 2nd August 2019 to Wadi Al-Hummus to cover a sit-in protesting against the demolishing of dozens of houses by the occupation forces and threatening to demolish even more. The journalists have arrived the area at around 12:15PM, and found the families getting ready for Friday prayers near the houses which were demolished days before, where the groups of soldiers were stationed. The journalists were standing next to one another in an area between the citizens who were getting ready for prayer and the occupation soldiers. The soldiers began violently pushing the journalists. Iyad Nimr Hamad (61 years old), a cameraman of Associated Press Agency addressed the soldiers “there is no need for you to push us, you can talk to us like normal people do” which led to altercation. The soldiers seized the ID of Iyad and one of his colleagues brought it from the vehicle (Iyad’s vehicle) and after they’ve checked it, the allowed him to continue covering the event. At around 1:30PM, after the demonstrators finished Friday prayers, they started the demonstrations in front of the occupation soldiers. The journalists were in an area in the middle between the prayers and the soldiers who were throwing sound and gas bombs at the demonstrators and journalists. The soldiers approached the journalists and pushed them away while one of the soldiers kicked the journalist Iyad Hamad violently on his leg from the back causing him severe pain and he fell to the ground. Hamad’s colleagues rushed to him and took him to a relatively distant area from the gas bombs. However, the soldiers prevented them, which is why they kept him within the same area where he was injured by gas bombs. This led to the suffocation of him and his colleague before they managed to take him away and transfer him to Beit Jala Hospital where he was imaged and underwent medical examinations that showed a fracture in his foot and it was placed in a cast by the doctors.
(6th August) An Israeli Occupation army force has arrested the journalist Mohammad Ateeq for a period of 12 days after raiding and searching his family house.
According to the investigations of MADA researcher, Mohammad Ali Abdelqader Ateeq, born on 26th March 1992, a freelance journalist, has woken up at 2:00AM, on Tuesday, 6th August 2019, on the sound of loud knocking on the door of their house located in Burqain, Jenin. His father walked towards the door to open it, where he saw more than 20 soldiers carrying weapons raiding the house. The soldiers asked the father when he opened the door for them about his son Mohammad and he came out of his room they asked for his cell phone and ID card and detained him alone in one of the house’s rooms while the remaining family members were in a separate room. The soldiers searched Mohammad and detained him inside the house’s restroom to be strip searched. The soldiers remained inside the house for about 45 minutes, during which they searched the house, seized Mohammad’s cell phone and laptop, in addition to other cell phones for the family, an external hard disk, the family’s computer hard disk, and three photographs hanged for his martyr brother, Ahmad, who died in 2002. They handcuffed his hands from the back and took him on foot for a distance of 500 meters until they reached the military vehicles, where they placed a patch on his eyes, and got him inside the patrol where another person from the same area was arrested. They made him sit on the floor of the vehicle which drove for two hours until reached Jalamah Crossing (at around 4:00AM), even though the distance separating between the Burqain and the Crossing takes only 15 minutes. When he arrived, one of the soldiers asked him to speak to someone he does not know on the phone, and the caller introduced himself as an officer of the Israeli Intelligence, and asked him where he was assaulted and when he attempted to travel but was prevented (he attempted to travel on June 2018 for Umrah but the Israelis prevented him from travelling) the Intelligence Office informed him that on the following day he will be questioned and hung up. In Jalamah Crossing he was taken to a doctor and then transferred inside a closed container with extreme cooling where e stayed with other detainees while he remained handcuffed until 12:00PM, on Tuesday 6th August 2019. Then the soldiers of the Border Police took him and strip searched him. They replaced the plastic handcuffs with metal ones and they transferred him by the Bosta to Majdo Prison and after he was earched he was taken to the Prison’s Clinic to under an ordinary check-up. He was taken to the Me’bar (transit prison) with his hands and feet tied. He entered the Me’bar at 4:00PM on the same day where he was detained until the dawn of Thursday corresponding 8th August 2019, and then he was taken by the Bosta to Salem Court where he arrived in the morning. Then he was taken to the court’s detention room (3-5 meters with 30 prisons inside and most of them cannot sit except on cement seats). He stayed in this room for 4 hours before being brought to the court. He met his advocate, Raed Mahameed, from the Prisoner Club, and then they took him to be questioned by the police. The investigator informed him that he is accused of two charges namely “the events and actions prejudicing the security of the area” and he was also questioned about his participation in events in his capacity as a journalist. He denied all accusations and signed the statement and then he was brought back to court at Majdo Prison. He was detained with the prisoners until Thursday 18th August 2019. At dawn, he was transferred to the court of Salem Camp and the court decided to release him. He was taken back to the prison and then he was released without returning back any of his belongings which were seized including his ID card which remained seized.
(11th August) The photojournalist Suhaib Salhab was injured by a rubber-coated metal bullet fired at him by an Israeli soldier while he was covering events at Al-Aqsa mosque after Eid Al-Adha prayer.
According to the investigations of MADA field researcher, Suhaib Hijazi Hussein Salhab (born on 4 May 1992), from Beit Hanina, Jerusalem, a cameraman of Al-Ghad Al-Arabi TV, has went, on the morning of the first day of Eid Al-Adha (Sunday, 11th August 2019) to Al-Aqsa mosque to film the prayers. He was not wearing the PRESS uniform because “it was Eid, and we did not expect any clashes” as he stated. At around 10:00AM, the occupation police raided the squares of the Dome of the Rock and started pushing the people out to leave the area. Salhab did not argue with the police officers and responded to them and moved out while he was filming the events taking place in the meantime. When he arrived the stairs of the mosque, he was pushed hard by one of the Israeli police officers and fell off the stairs while another officer fired at him rubber-coated metal bullet and injured the front area of his right thigh. The injury caused him burns in the skin and he was given the first aid by his colleagues before he was transferred to the hospital (what hospital) where he was imaged and no fractures were found. However, the doctor informed him that his injury needs a month to recover and until this day (21st August 2019) Suhaib still suffers from pain due to the burns caused to him and he cannot move his leg freely.
(17th August) An occupation army force has arrested the freelance journalist Abdulmuhsen Shalaldah after raiding his family house located in Sa’ir, east of Hebron, at dawn, on Saturday, 17th August 2019.
According to the investigations of MADA field researcher, a foot force of the Israeli occupation army has surrounded the family house of the journalist Abdulmuhsen Tayseer Shalaldah (26 years old), located in Khulat Al-Eidah, Sa’ir, east of Hebron, at around 2:30AM, at dawn, on Saturday, 17th August 2019. The soldiers violently knocked the main door leading to the house of two floors. Once the father, Tayseer (55 years old), opened the door, 15 masked soldiers rushed into the house and asked him to bring the IDs of all persons inside the house and to go to the living room. The soldiers detained the family members, consisting of six persons, including two children, inside the room, while one of the soldiers was pointing his weapon at them and asking them not to move. One of the soldiers approached the journalist Abdulmuhsen who was in the room with his family members and checked his ID, then took him to the living room, in the middle of the house, and started questioning him, while the soldiers spread in the rooms of the first floor and started to violently searching the house and scattered everything including sheets and cloths. Furthermore, a number of them went upstairs to the second floor which is equipped for his older brother Alaa (28 years old) when he gets married. They broke a number of internal wooden doors. The searching continued until 4:30AM, at dawn, as investigation was ongoing with the journalist Shalaldah, the soldiers handcuffed Abdulmusen’s hands from the back with plastic handcuffs and placed clothing on his eyes and took him outside the house. They did not allow his family to exit the room or follow him, until three military vehicles arrived to the house’s square. The soldiers took Abdulmuhsen inside of these vehicles and left the house. On Sunday, 18th August 2019, the family learned that her son Abdulmuhsen was in Ofer Prison, located western Ramallah, and a hearing session was scheduled for him on the morning of Thursday, 22nd August 2019.
(18th August) The Israeli occupation authorities have prevented the journalist Majdoleen Hassouna from travelling on her way to Turkey where she works.
According to the investigations of MADA researcher, Majdoleen Rida Abdelraheem Hassouna, (30 years old), from Nablus, works for Arabic TRT TV in Istanbul, Turkey, has returned on 6th August 2019 for a vacation in Nablus, and while she was crossing Al-Karama bridge, the Palestinian Intelligence Services, after asking her some questions in general about her relationships and work, gave her a summons to go to the headquarters in Nablus on 8th August 2019. However, the Syndicate of Journalists intervened when it was informed and as a result the summons was cancelled and Hassouna never went to the Intelligence headquarters in Nablus during her vacation. On 18th August 2019, at 3:30PM, Majdoleen went to Al-Karama Bridge to go back to turkey where she works. In the Palestinian side of the Bridge, the Palestinian Intelligence Services asked her again about the summons and she informed them of what has happened and showed them an official letter of the Syndicate of Journalists on this regard. She continued on her way and left the Palestinian side off to the Israeli side of the bridge at 5:00PM. She was detained by the Israeli Intelligence Services until 8:00PM, and no one gave any attention to what she was saying about losing her flight if they kept her in detention. At around 9:00, three soldiers approached her in detention and told her that she is banned from travelling. They informed her that she has to go to the headquarters of the Israeli Intelligence Services in her area. She asked them to give her an official letter of this regard but they refused to give her any and send her back. On Monday, 19th August 2019, the journalist Hassouna went to Howarah Military Camp near Nablus as she was informed to do so. She told them that she is banned from travelling and they asked her to come to the headquarters but they refused to meet her. On the following day, 20th August 2019, Hassouna contacted the Israeli Liaison Office at Howarah Military Camp on the phone and they informed her not to come as there was no work on that day. On the following day, 21st august 2019, Hassouna, at around 10:00AM, went again to Howarah Camp but they refused to see her again.
(18th August) Facebook has closed two news pages operating from the West Bank, claiming that they were posting materials in contrary to the posting criteria of Facebook.
On 18th August 2019 Aneen Al-Qaid Network was blocked. It should be noted that it is a social news website on “Facebook” concerned with the prisoners’ news. It was closed by Facebook and the only user who had access to the page was the admin, but none of the followers. During several years of its operation, the page of “Aneen Al-Qaid Network” was popular and followed by 142,000 Facebook users. The admins of the page are still following up with Facebook to re-activate the page but they received not replies.
In the beginning of July, Facebook has closed the Facebook page of Qalandia Media Center, a page concerned posting the Israeli violations as well as the political and social news. It is liked by 170,000 Facebook users. During that period, the page received so many notifications about some news and videos the Facebook administration considered as violation of its rules. After following up with Facebook Administration, Qalandia News Center Page did not receive anything on this regard. It is currently posting through another page it has created.
(21st August) Some of Hamas security officers in Gaza Strip have assaulted the journalist Hani Abu Rizeq while he was filming, through his cell phone, the protests taking place between Al-Azhar University and the Trade Union due to renewing the appointment of the University President Dr. Abdelkhaleq Al-Farra for another three years.
According to the investigations of MADA field researcher, Hani Ashraf Mahmoud abu Rizeq (25 years old), works for Al-Hayat Al-Jadida Newspaper and An-Najah News Website, at around 11:00AM, on Wednesday, 21st august 2019, was in front of the Science Faculty at Al-Azhar Univserity in Gaza City, filming the protests taking place in the University between the Trade Union and the students. When Hamas Security officers saw him filming, they violently pulled him from his hand into a room of the University Security, they assaulted him with their own fists especially his upper body. He was detained in one of the room’s corners by 5 of Hamas Security officers and the University Security officers. One of them introduced himself as an officer of the General Intelligence, they searched him and emptied his personal bag not to mention they asked him why he was in front of the University and why was he filming the events and whether he was a student at the University. Abu Rizeq claimed that he was a student at the University and avoided disclosing his actual identity as a journalist for fear of getting hurt if they found out he is a journalist documenting what is happening. The University and Hamas Security Officers asked him to open his cell phone to be searched and to delete the photos and videos he filmed, but he refused to do so and insisted on keeping his cell phone and personal documents. Twenty minutes later, he was released.
(22nd August) The journalist Hafeth Abu Sabra was injured with suffocation while the occupation soldiers attempted to prevent a group of journalists from covering a sit-in organized in solidarity with the prisoners on food strike inside the Israeli Occupation prisoners in front of Ofer Prison, Betunia, Ramallah.
According to the investigations of MADA researcher, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, has organized on 22nd August 2019, a sit-in in front of Ofer Prisone, Betunia, western Ramallah, in solidarity with a group of Palestinian prisoners on food strike inside the Israeli prisons. A number of journalists have arrived the place to cover the event, and during the sit-in, specifically at 12:20PM, two Israeli military jeeps approached the demonstrators and started throwing gas and sound bombs. This resulted in the injury of the journalist Hafeth Abu Sabra, Roya TV reporter, with suffocation, and he was treated in the field by a paramedic. At around 12:40PM, more than 12 Israeli soldiers approached the external yard of Ofer Prison and surrounded a group of demonstrators and arrested one of them. While the journalists were filming the arrest, one of the soldiers attempted to strongly push them away and cover their cameras to prevent them from filming while an Israeli female solider pushed the journalist Issam Huda Al-Rimawi (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida newspaper and Anatolia Agency cameraman) with her gunpoint, even though he standing 4 meters away from her. The pushing and hindering of work also affected Abbas Abdelwahab Al-Momani (the French News Agency cameraman), Hashem Kamel Abu Shaqra (Anatolia Agency cameraman), Mutasem Saqf Al-Hait (Syria TV and Quds News Network cameraman), Mohammad Turkman (Reuters Agency cameraman), Saleh Hamad (The French News Agency Cameraman), Hafeth Mahmoud Abu Sabra (Roya TV reporter), and Khaled Ali Sabarnah (Iran TV cameraman).
(22nd August) Some of the Palestinian Intelligence Officers have detained the cameraman Mujahed Sa’di while he was filming the release of one of the occupation prisoners.
According to the investigations of MADA researcher, Mohammad Saed Sa’di, born on 24th Dec. 1987, from Jenin, a freelance cameraman, used to work for Palestine Today TV, has arrived, at 10:00PM, on Thursday corresponding 22nd August 2019, to Tamoun Town to film the moment of arrival of the prisoner Khalil Bsharat who was released on that day after spending 16 years inside the Israeli prisons. While the cameraman Mujahed Sa’di was standing next to his vehicle preparing the camera, 5 of the Palestinian Intelligence officers in their military uniform stepped out of a civilian vehicle holding white plate No. 99 of the security services, and approached him. They were (intelligence officers) under a big force of the Palestinian security known as “the joint force”. They were within the persons waiting to welcome the prisoner Bsharat. The people in the place were lifting up the Islamic Jehad flags since the released prisoner is a member of this movement. Some of the intelligence officers asked the cameraman Mujahed to show his personal identity card, but he did not have it, so they order him to go with them and one of them drove his (Mujahed’s) vehicle. They went to the Intelligence headquarters located in Tubas (5 kilometers away from Tamoun). When they arrived the headquarters, they asked who he was, and he indeed told them. They asked him to give them his personal cell phone numbers, and he did. One of the officers checked his phone number through “Truecaller” application and his name he told them appeared indeed. They treated him in a good way without delaying him as he was detained only for 15 minutes to check his identity card and he was not searched nor his camera was examined. He was released but the event he went to film (the release of Bsharat) was already over. Mujahed went back to his house.
(22nd august) The journalist Nidal Abu Sharbi was injured by rubber bullet in his right hand while he was covering the events of the peaceful return march in Malka, east of Gaza Strip.
According to the investigations of MADA field researcher, the journalist Nidal Fawzi Sulaiman abu Sharbi (32 years old), from Al-Shujayia, Gaza, a freelance journalist, has arrived at around 4:00PM, on Friday 22nd August 2019 to Malka, east of Gaza, to cover the event of the peaceful return march organized weekly since March 2018. He was wearing the PRESS vest and carrying two cameras. Upon his arrival, he started taking photos of the demonstrators who were there, and he was 700 meters away from the separation (border) fence on the other side of which the Israeli occupation army jeeps were stationed. At around 5:00PM, he approached 150 meters away from the separation fence to film the demonstrators who set the vehicles tires on fire. At the time, the Israeli soldiers were firing gas bombs and rubber bullets heavily, while Nidal continued his work. At around 6:00PM, while he was still filming a demonstrator who was in the area, one of the soldiers fired at him a rubber bullet, injured his right hand, causing him bleeding. He walked 20 meters towards a paramedic who was nearby and provided him with first aid, cleaned his wound and dressed it then took him through an ambulance to the medical point established 500-700 meters away from the separation fence, where he received the necessary first aid, and given two injections to reduce the swelling and the blue bruises. The wound was cleaned again and dressed, and the medical staffs described his condition as minor. He stayed in the medical point for half an hour and then went home. Two hours later, at around 9:00PM, he felt fever and went to a pharmacy where he took an injection to lower his temperature, but did not feel any other complication later[1].
(23rd August) The Israeli Occupation forces have detained three journalists and prevented them from covering the repercussions of an explosion that has taken place in Deir Ibzai’, Ramallah, on 23rd August. They have deleted what two of them have filmed and prevented the others from covering the events.
Anatolia Agency cameraman, Hisham Kamel Abu Shaqra (31 years old), went on 23rd August 2019 to Deir Ibzai’, western Ramallah, central the West Bank, along with 8 of his colleagues, namely: Issam Al-Rimawi, Jihad Barakat, Abbas Al-Momani, Ali Sawafta, Mohammad Turkman, Nasser Nasser, Baha’ Nasser, and Mohammad Awad, to “Ein Bobin” near Deir Ibzai’, to cover the repercussions of detonating an explosive device targeting Israeli settlers on the morning of that day. Abu Shaqra and his colleagues arrived at around 11:30AM, to the mountain overlooking the location where the explosion has taken place while great numbers of Israeli soldiers were deployed in the area, especially around the said location near the waterhole. Given that the area the journalists have arrived to was far from the location of the explosion where the soldiers were deployed, 1.5 kilometers away, the journalists Abu Shaqra came down the mountain towards the location of the event to take photos of the army, as he was 700-1000 meters away from the soldiers, two of them approached him, stopped, detained and asked him what was he doing there and informed him that it is “a closed military zone and no filming is allowed there”. They checked the videos he has filmed and seized the memory of the camera and the other memory chips he had. The soldiers took Abu Shaqra to a dirt road leading to the waterhole where the explosion happened. When they arrived the road, the soldiers strictly searched him and then an Intelligence Officer came to him, took a picture of him and asked him to show his identity card and personal documents. He also asked him to say what party he works for and informed him that it is a closed military zone and no one is allowed to be here. Then they detained him on the road under the sun for two hours. After that they gave him his memory chips they seized without deleting any filmed material and they asked him to leave the area at around 2:00PM.
At 6:15PM, on that day (23rd August) the occupation army raided Deir Ibzai’ where the explosion took place, in addition to a number of the neighboring towns, eastern Ramallah. It started seizing the records of surveillance cameras of some buildings and shops. In the meantime, the French News Agency cameraman Saleh Hamad started filming the raids, and while he was doing his work, one of the soldiers asked him not to film anything, but Hamad inquired whether it is a closed military zone, and soldier said no. then Hamad asked where he could go to film, and the soldier ordered him to stay 20 meters away from the soldiers and then one of the soldiers asked him to approach them and he did. They asked for his personal identity card and foreign press card and forced him to open his cell phone, deleted all of the photos and videos filmed for the French News Agency on the morning of that day, estimated by about 500 Mega. Furthermore, one of the soldiers asked him to format the camera memory and delete its existing memory entirely to allow him to go home to his house and family. The occupation soldiers at around 12:00PM, on that day (23rd August) detained Mutasem Saqf Al-Hait, a freelance journalist at 12:00PM while he was covering the raiding of the army to Deir Ibzai’. They seized his camera and cell phone and deleted all of the material filmed in the morning estimated by about 15 minutes. The filmed material included the raiding of the Israeli army to Betunia and Deir Ibzai’, and they forced him to leave the location.
(25th August) Officers of the General Administration of Criminal Investigations in Khan Younes, southern Gaza Strip, have detained the camera crew of Al-Koufiya TV, while it was preparing a report on Khan Younes about the performance of the municipality there.
According to the investigations of MADA researcher, Amro Ahmad Tabash (23 years old), from Al-Namsawi Block, Khan Younes, a cameraman at the Social Media Section of Al-Koufiya TV, and Amer Al-Sultan (26 years old) from Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip, a cameraman of the National Agency for Media, under which Al-Koufiya TV operates, at around 9:30AM, on 25th August 2019 were near “Al-Dahra” crossroads in Khan Younes Camp, to conduct interviews with citizens on the performance and achievements of Khan Younes Municipality. Before they started the interviews, a traffic police officer approached them and asked them about the nature of their work, they told him why they were there. The officer asked them whether they had an authorization from the security agencies to film, and they answered that they did not but they used to film in the public places without authorizations. The police officer obstructed their work and seized the driver’s documents (the driver works for Egypt Taxi Office). After about half an hour (at around 10:00AM), two officers of the General Investigations arrived in civilian clothing, and without introducing themselves, they asked for the press cards of the journalists Amro Tabash and Amer Al-Sultan, and the driver’s license, even though the journalists introduced themselves without being asked. They took them to Khan Younes Investigations Center, where they arrived at 10:15AM. Upon the journalists and driver arrival to the headquarters of the General Investigations, they were taken to the Investigations Section where they were questioned and asked to introduce themselves and why they were in Khan Younes and what was the report they were preparing. One of the officers addressed them “you are here to document the bad side of the municipality”, another person intervened and addressed Tabash “today you’ve done a great job to Dahlan and his wife Jalila, by being locked here with us”. He asked them “why didn’t you get an authorization to film? And why didn’t you film the achievements of the municipality?” They asked them about the Chief of Staff and Tabash answered that he was the chief of staff. The investigator asked the driver and Amer Al-Sultan to go out and continued questioning Tabash. He took his cell phone for 20 minutes, opened and searched it”. Tabash and Al-Sultan remained in detention for about an hour and a half. They both signed a written pledge stating “I hereby undertake not to film any event in the public places unless under an authorization by the Ministry of Interior”. The Investigations Officer informed them that if this happened again they will be brought before the criminal court and they were released from the headquarters at around 11:30AM, and never came back to complete the report they were about to prepare.
(29th August) An Israeli occupation army force has arrested the media student of Birzeit University Mays Abu Ghoush after raiding her family house in Qalandia Camp, northern the occupied City of Jerusalem.
According to the investigations of MADA researcher, around 100 soldiers, between 3:00AM-5:00AM, at dawn, on Thursday, 29th August 2019, have raided the family house of Mays Mohammad Hussein Abu Ghoush, born in 1997, a 4th-year media student at Birzeit University. They smashed the door house, searched and vandalized inside the house while the soldiers in the meantime were detaining Mays Abu Ghoush. At around 3:20AM, one of the Intelligence Officers entered along with a female Israeli soldier with a dog and they all were in the Israeli army uniform. He introduced himself as an officer of the Israeli Intelligence Services and asked Mays several questions, but she answered none of them. During the questioning, more than 5 soldiers have strictly searched Mays’s room and the house in general. This included seizing her cell phone and two laptops. The searching and detention of Mays inside a room for 30 minutes continued. One of the officers asked Mays’s family to say goodbye to their daughter before arresting her. Mays’s father attempted to go with her outside the house while she was being taken outside the house, but two soldiers assaulted him and bunched him in the face amid the soldiers’ screaming. Two female soldiers have taken Mays to a military vehicle without being handcuffed or blindfolded as usual[2].
(26th August) The Israeli occupation army military campaign implemented in Ramallah to search for the persons in charge of the explosion which has taken place in Ein Bubin, Ramallah, and resulted in killing a female settler, was accompanied with assaults by the army against some of the journalists while they were covering the campaign. The photojournalist Mutasem Sameer Saqf Al-Hait was assaulted on 26th August 2019.
According to the investigations of MADA researcher, Mutasem Sameer Saqf Al-Hait, an independent journalist who provides Al-Arabiya TV and Quds Network with some filmed material. At around 3:30PM, on 26th August, in Ein Kenya, Ramallah, Mutasem went to cover the raiding of an army force to the village. The soldiers attempted to prevent him from coverage and one of the soldiers strongly pushed him and asked him and so Anatolia Agency cameraman Hisham Abu Shaqra to leave the place. At 5:00PM on the same day, he went to Ein Kenya in Betunia where the soldiers went to raid and he was live broadcasting the events. In the meantime, the occupation forces stopped on the road near a poultry farm, and Saqf Al-Haith continued broadcasting the events while he was inside his vehicle, two soldiers approached him and one of them hit the vehicle hard and asked him to leave the area. At the time, Saqf Al-Hait stepped out the vehicle while one of the soldiers closed the live broadcast on his cell phone, threatened him with being shot and another soldier assaulted him on his ear and he left the place.
(30th August) The Internal Security Service in Gaza Strip assaulted the journalist Mohammad Al-Arabeed.
According to the investigations of MADA researcher, the photojournalist Mohammad Khairi Khamees Al-Arabeed (43 years old), Palestine TV cameraman, at around 11:00AM, on Friday, 30th August 2019, was in front of his house located in Al-Amoudi area, northern Gaza Strip, and three officers of the Internal Security Service in Gaza Strip arrived in civilian clothing and carrying weapons, they asked Al-Arabeed to go with them and he asked them who they were, they introduced themselves as officers of the Internal Security Service northern Gaza Strip. They arrested him and took him to the prison of the Headquarters. On the following day (Saturday) 31st August 2019, Al-Arabeed family received a phone call (from Mohammad Al-Arabeed) and he told them that he was at the headquarters of the Internal Security Service in Gaza, he asked them to bring him cloths and could not tell them what he was accused for.
(30th August) The injury of the reporter and cameraman Ibrahim Abu Marsa by a rubber bullet fired at him by one of the occupation soldiers while he was covering the events of the peaceful return march northern Gaza Strip.
Palestine Red Crescent cameraman and the reporter of Watan Radio, Ibrahim Abu Marsa, was injured by a rubber bullet in the upper right side of his abdomen by the Israeli occupation soldiers while he was covering the weekly return march taking place in Abu Safiya, northern Gaza Strip.
According to the investigations of MADA field researcher, Ibrahim Nasser Hussein Abu Marsa (28 years old), a reporter of Watan Radio and a cameraman of Palestine Red Crescent, has arrived on the afternoon of Friday 30th August 2019 to cover the events of the peaceful return march taking place in Abu Safiya, northern Gaza Strip. At around 6:00PM, while he was 500 meters away from the separation fence on the other side of which the Israeli soldiers were deployed, filming a demonstrator who was injured and the Red Crescent paramedics were transferring him to the ambulance, one of the occupation soldiers fired a barrage of rubber bullets at him and the paramedics. He was injured by a rubber bullet on the upper right side of his abdomen which is why he was transferred to the field hospital 700 meters away from the separation fence and then he was taken from there to Al-Awda Hospital, northern Gaza Strip, where his injury was imaged and showed no fractures. Abu Marsa suffered shortness in breath for long hours after his injury and the doctors asked him to come back to the hospital on Monday 2nd Sep. 2019 for check up and to make sure there are no complications.
(30th August) The cameraman of Anatolia Agency, ali Jadallah, was injured by a rubber bullet in his head while he was covering the events of the peaceful return march east of Gaza.
According to the investigations of MADA field researcher, Ali Hassan Mousa Jadallah (29 years old), married, a cameraman for Anatolia News Agency, arrived at around 3:30PM, on Friday 30th August 2019 to Malka, the border area, eastern Gaza, to cover the weekly peaceful march. He was wearing the PRESS vest and helmet, and at around 4:00PM, he approached the fence area on the other side of which the Israeli occupation soldiers were deployed. He stopped around 250 meters away from the fence to take some pictures of the events and the demonstrators, and in the meantime he was injured by a rubber bullet in his forehead fires at him by one of the Israeli occupation soldiers. He was given the field first aid and taken to the medical point established 500-700 meters away from the separation fence. The doctor there, in the medical point, examined the place of injury, dressed and stitched his wound with 14 stitches and then he went back home. After he was at home, he felt complications including severe dizziness, swelling in the entire head and severe pain. On the morning of Sunday, 1st Sep. 2019, Jadallah went to Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza, where the doctors found that the stitches were not cosmetic and they caused a hole in the place of injury. Until the moment of preparing this report (3rd Sep. 2019), he is still receiving treatment at the hospital[3].
(30th August) The Israeli Intelligence Service summoned the Head of the Sports Section at Al-Quds Newspaper, Muneer Yousef Mousa Al-Ghoul and questioned him.
According to the investigations of MADA researcher, a force of the Israeli Intelligence and Police in Jerusalem, has raided, on the evening of 5th August 2019, a memorial ceremony of Ahmad Adeela (a sport figure who worked at the Association of Sports Clubs 40 years ago), that was taking place at YMCA, as part of the ceremony organized in Jerusalem since 19 years. This is the first time such ceremony is raided, and Muneer Yousef Al-Ghoul, born on 30th July 1968, from Silwan, Jerusalem, the Head of Sports Section at Al-Quds Newspaper, was at the ceremony in his capacity as a journalist and the Head of Sports Section in the Newspaper. The Intelligence and police officers have given a number of summons to some of the persons who were at the ceremony including Muner Al-Ghoul to be questioned later. On the morning of 30th August 2019, Muneer Al-Ghoul went to the Moscobiya, room No. 4 where he was questioned about his present in such event as he felt that this was part “of targeting any social or sports events organized in Jerusalem” as the city recently has witnessed more than one social or sports event claiming that they are funded by the PA, this included cancelling the Jerusalemite Families Championship and the match of the martyr Ayman Abbasi.
Photojournalist of Xinhua News Agency "Hatem Omar" after being injured by rubber bullets in both legs while he was covering the peaceful march taking place east of Khan Younes, Gaza Strip
