Ramallah – April,11 , 2022 – Violations against freedom of media were decreased on March comparing with last February. Despite this decrease, the Israeli violations still the top in scene for the third month respectively in terms of number, type, and danger to journalists and media freedom, which is a dangerous indication of the possibility of it continuing to rise at the same pace during the next month, which witnesses the advent of the blessed month of Ramadan, and the increased threat of settlers storming Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the consequent Holding other activities in the rest of the West Bank and many events and activities related to it that increase the possibility of attacks against journalists.
During the month of March, "MADA" documented a total of 19 violations against media freedoms (the previous month 46 violations), of which the Israeli occupation committed a total of 16 attacks, while Palestinian sides committed only 2 violations, and Social networks committed (1) violation.
The Violations against freedom of media in the last three months
|
Side |
Jan |
Feb |
March |
|
Israeli occupation |
18 |
39 |
16 |
|
Different Palestinian Sides |
3 |
4 |
2 |
|
Social Networking |
6 |
3 |
1 |
|
Total |
27 |
46 |
19 |
The Israeli Violations:
The number of Israeli violations against Palestinian media freedoms decreased during the month of March, MADA documented a total of 16 violations committed by the Israeli occupation, the previous month witnessed 39 Israeli violations. The percentage of Israeli violations - which were committed in the West Bank - reached (84%) of the total violations.
The serious violations expanded during this month, physical injuries were 7, and some of journalists were hit by bullets, as happened with the photographer Abdel Mohsen Shalalda and the photographer, Musab Al-Tamimi. Some journalists were also hit by two bullets during the same event, as happened with the reporter Abdullah Bahsh and the cameraman Mamoun Wazouz. The correspondent of Al-Irsal Agency was subjected to gas suffocation while covering the incursion of the Israeli army into Qalandia refugee camp.
The occupation forces targeted the Palestine TV crew to prevent them from covering the olive tree planting activity in Jabal al-Raysan, west of Ramallah, the occupation snipers also targeted journalists Mujahid al-Saadi and Muhammad Abed by lighting a laser on them to intimidate them, and prevent them from covering the demolition of a house in the town of Silat al-Harithiya near the city of Jenin.
During March, the occupation arrested three journalists: Bushra Al-Taweel, who was arrested at the "Za'tara" checkpoint, and later transferred to administrative detention for a period of three months, the director and cameraman for Palestine TV Raja'i Hamad, who was arrested at the "Ma'ale Adumim" checkpoint, as well as the journalist and political analyst Imad. Abu Awad for several days before being released.
The occupation forces detained both journalists, Osama Shaheen and Jawad Fakhri, for two hours at the "Ras al-Jura" checkpoint, and interrogated journalist Osama Shaheen two days later in Etzion detention center after they handed him a summon, while in detention.
It is noteworthy that the occupation forces released on March 22, the journalist Assem Mustafa Al-Shannar from the city of Nablus, after he had spent 6 months in its prisons.
Social Networks Violations:
In general, the violations of social networks sites have continued to decrease since the beginning of 2022, the percentage of violations of these sites reached (5%) of the total violations of the month. Where MADA documented one violation committed by "Facebook" which owned by "Meta" company, against journalist Ramy Alariya, by restricting his account for a month.
The Palestinian Violations:
The Palestinian violations during last March were limited to only 2 violations (11%) of all violations. The Palestinian Intelligence service summoned the freelance journalist Ibrahim Abu Safiya and interrogated him for 2 hours about his media work. Unidentified sides also opened fire on the car of journalist Shatha Hanaysha in the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin.
The Violations Details:
March, 1st: Photojournalists Abdel Mohsen Shalaldeh and Musab Shawar were wounded by the Israeli occupation forces, who open fire towards journalists while covering the confrontations between citizens and Israeli soldiers during a solidarity event with the prisoners in Hebron on March, 1st.
The J-Media’s photographer Abdel Mohsen Taysir Shalalda (28 years old) stated to MADA that he went with the press office reporter Montaser Nassar to cover a solidarity march with the prisoners, which towards Bab Al-Zawiya area in the city of Hebron, and after about two minutes of their arrival at Bab al-Zawiya, the youths had started throwing stones at the Israeli soldiers, the soldiers began pushing the crowd and firing rubber-coated metal bullets to disperse them.
In the meantime, one of the soldiers approached the journalists and ordered them to stay away from the place, despite their shouting in Hebrew language that they were "press", he did not care. Immediately, members of the occupation forces fired rubber-coated metal bullets at them from a distance of five meters, which led to the injury of the photographer, Shalaldah, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in his right forearm, he was taken to Hebron Governmental Hospital and received treatment for an hour.
In the same event, a few minutes after the photographer Shalaldeh was injured, Al-Hadath newspaper photographer Musab Abdel Samad Shawar Tamimi (31 years old) was wounded with bullet. He received field treatment in the place and continued covering the demonstration.
March, 7th: Israeli soldiers prevented journalists from covering the demolition of a house in the town of Silat al-Harithiya near the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank, after they opened fire at them on Monday evening.
The freelance journalist Mujahid Muhammad Al-Saadi (35 years old) stated that he was with his colleague Muhammad Abed from the Quds Network at nine o'clock in the evening in the Zeitoun neighborhood overlooking the house that the occupation forces intend to demolish in the Jaradat neighborhood to cover the incidents of demolishing the house.
After ten o'clock in the evening, the occupation snipers deployed in the place, were shooting laser beams at journalists to prevent them from filming, and after that Israeli soldiers started shooting fire towards them to stop them.
March, 11th: The Israeli occupation soldiers fired 2 rubber bullets at photojournalist Mamoun Ismail Wazouz (47 years old), while covering the weekly clashes in Hebron.
The photographer, Wazouz, who works for several local and international news agencies stated to MADA, that he arrived at Bab al-Zawiya area in the center of Hebron on Friday, to cover the weekly anti-settlement activity, he wore (a helmet and Press wear to protect himself and he stood on an island in the street north of the northern entrance to Al-Shuhada Street, He was standing next to the photographe Sari Jaradat, when he was clearly targeted by the occupation soldiers with two rubber bullets, he felt great pain, despite that, he walked towards the checkpoint for a few meters and started shouting at the soldiers, who pointed their guns at him from behind the checkpoint.
Mamoun went to Hebron Governmental Hospital, where he was treated.
March, 15th: The Correspondent of “Quds News Network” Abdullah Bahsh was shot by Israeli soldiers, while covering the clashes between citizens and Israeli soldiers in Nablus City.
The Journalist “Bahsh” stated to MADA that he was accompanying his colleagues covering the clashes between citizens and settlers who were invading “Yousef Tomb” close to Nablus City, before he was shot by 2 bullets by Israeli soldiers who were there to facilitate the settlers invasion to “Yousef Tomb”
March, 19th: the occupation solders arrested journalist Imad Abu Awwad after they raided his house in Al-Bireh city, and released him after several days and after one investigation session that lasted for hours.
Imad Mahmoud Abu Awwad, 38 years old, who works at Al-Quds Center for Studies, and is also a political analyst of Israeli affairs, stated that occupation force raided his house in Al-Jinan neighborhood in the city of Al-Bireh, and he was taken away, from his home to the nearby settlement of Psagot.
Abu Awwad was released on Thursday march, 24th, to be summoned again during the next week without specifying a date or day.
March, 21st: The Israeli soldiers arrested Women Journalist “Bushra AL-Taweel” in “Zatra Israeli checkpoint” close to Nablus City.
Bushra was sentenced to administrative detention for a period of three months.
It is noteworthy that this is her fifth arrest, as she was arrested for the first time in 2011 at the age of 18.
March, 22nd: The Palestinian intelligence service in Ramallah summoned the freelance journalist Ibrahim Abu Safiya and subjected him to interrogation for three hours about his journalistic work.
March, 22nd: "Al-Irssal Agency" reporter Karim Khamaiseh was affected by tear Gas Bomb when the occupation forces fired tear gas in Qalandia refugee camp, north of Jerusalem, to disperse the demonstrators while he was covering the storming of the camp by Israeli soldiers.
March, 22nd: Israeli solders attached the Palestine TV Staff in “AL-Ryssan” Mountain West of Ramallah city while covering Olive tree planting event by Citizens.
The Palestine TV cameraman Shamikh Jareh Jagob, 41 years old, stated that he and his colleague, TV reporter Benazir Abu Atwan, were in al-Raysan Mountain, to cover an olive tree planting event that was held at the invitation of the Wall Resistance Commission. it was a peaceful event, the cameraman, Al Jagob, was not wearing a “press uniform”, but he was carrying his eqepment, while the reporter was carrying the logo of Palestine TV, which clearly indicates that they were journalists.
A force from the border guards and the occupation army came suddenly to the place and suppressed the event, and one of the officers asked the Jagob to move away to a further area. And they were not satisfied with that, as another soldier came and assaulted the cameraman by hitting him with the gun, and a third sprayed him with pepper gas, but he was able to avoid the gas quickly.
Jagob received field treatment for minor injuries and left the scene.
March, 23rd: Meta Company restricted the personal account of the journalist Ramy Alaria on Facebook and prevented him from publishing and broadcasting live for a period of one month.
In addition to the above, the journalist has been banned for several years from making paid Ads on his Business page.
March, 26th: The Israeli occupation detained journalist Osama Shaheen and freelance journalist Jawad Abu Shamsia for 2 hours at a mobile checkpoint in Ras al-Jura area in Hebron city.
The soldiers returned the journalists' ID cards, while the officer handed the journalist Osama a Summoned by the Israeli intelligence at the Etzion Center.
March, 27th: Unidentified persons fired live bullets at the car of journalist Shatha Hanaisheh, causing severe damage to it, while it was parked near her home in the town of Qabatia in Jenin, after her return from media coverage of the local elections.
Shatha believes – as she stated to MADA- that this attcks was a personal targeting of her aimed at intimidating her, and that the reason for the attack was her media coverage of many issues of security chaos, and the many problems that occur in the town, especially that the journalist's vehicle bears the badge of the press.
March, 28th: The Israeli intelligence interrogated the correspondent for the British websites “You Free” and “In the Mind”, Osama Hussein Shaheen, 41 years old, at the Etzion Center for an hour and a half about his media work and his coverage of local news in Palestine.
The investigation included a clear threat of re-arrest, as the officer told the journalist.
March, 28th: The Israeli occupation soldiers arrested the director and cameraman of Palestine TV, journalist Raja'i Tariq Hamad (38 years old), as he was passing through the "Ma'ale Adumim" checkpoint near Jerusalem on his way back from Ramallah on Monday evening.
