A lot of attacks on journalists and decisions limiting the freedom of opinion and expression during last November
Public and media freedoms deteriorated significantly in Palestinian territories over the past month, as a result of decisions and actions taken by the Governments of Salam Fayyad, and Ismail Haniya, and escalation of security forces belongs to the two governments attacks on journalists, which included arrests, beatings, detentions, and damage of equipment and photo material on cameras.
In Gaza Strip, Haniya Government issued a decision preventing journalists who didn’t get a press card from Ministry of Information, from covering Haniya speech on the fourth of November, the ministry had asked journalists during last October to apply for press card till the end of the month, “with the aim of organizing the media work in Gaza Strip, assist in facilitating their mission, and to protect them from intruders to the profession".
Following the bloody events in Fatah Festival in the third anniversary of President Yasser Arafat death, in Gaza city, in which the Executive Force at the end of it fired at the participants, and attacked several journalists, government spokesman Taher Al- Nono said in a press conference on November 13 that “there will be a review of the government’s policy regarding freedom of opinion and political action".
Salam Fayyad Government banned peaceful marches in the West Bank during the Meddle East peace conference in Annapolis (USA), and the security services assaulted participants in the marches and journalists, who tried to cover it, especially in the cities of Ramallah, Bethlehem and Hebron
In addition journalists kidnapping phenomenon was renewed, but in the West Bank this time.
Israeli occupying forces increased attacks against journalists, and as it isn’t the first
time, security forces impersonate as journalists to arrest Palestinian citizen in
Ramallah city, which enhance the risks to the lives of Israelis and foreign journalists.
Mada center condemns all attacks on journalists and demands Fayad and Hahiya governments:
• To end journalist’s detention and judging policy, and to allow them to work freely and safely.
• To prosecute those responsible for attacks on journalists and bring them to justice.
• To respect freedom of opinion and expression, and to cancel decisions, which constitute a violation of it.
Mada also calls on the international community to put pressure on Israel Government to cease its attacks on journalists.

Monthly Summary Report
(November 1) - Al-Quds newspaper correspondent Ali Smodi, was detained, by the occupation soldiers at the Israeli military checkpoint Hamra, while heading from Jenin city to Jericho city, to attend a training course.
(November 2) - Saudi Second channel correspondent Muna Qendeel was wounded, when Israeli occupation forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the weekly anti-apartheid wall demonstration participants in Bil’in village (Ramallah).
(November 4) – Al-Rased bulletin editor Hisham Saq Allah house was raided in
Gaza city, by the executive force; they confiscated his computer and mobile.
(November 5) -Aqsa correspondent in Hebron city ‘Ala Taiti and his assistant
Osayd Amarneh, were arrested by Palestinian Preventive Security, while preparing
press report about the arrest of Palestinian Legislative Council member Hatem
Qfishah, by Israeli occupation forces, they were released on bail on November 25
, the two had been brought to the court on the twentieth of November,
they were asked to a fine of 12000 shekels(about three thousand US dollar
(November 5) - Israeli security force impersonate as journalists from the second Israeli TV channel, to arrest Nadeem Enjas in Ramallah city.
(November 11) - Wafa agency photographer, Sami Abu Salim, was arrested by the executive force in Jabaliya refugee camp (Gaza Strip), he was released several hours later.
(November 9) - Director of local Al-Amal Television Mu’taz Alkurd in Hebron city, was arrested by Palestinian Preventive Security Service, because the TV broadcast Ismail Haniya speech, he was released the next day.
(November 12) - the executive force attacked Voice of Palestine radio correspondent Tamim Abu Muammar, and Palestinian television cameraman Khaled Bulbul and damaged his camera, detained Abu Dhabi channel correspondent Mohamed Sawalha and confiscated his video tape, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida photographer Muwafaq Matar and eliminate photos from his camera after being transferred to one f the police stations, during their coverage of Fatah Festival in third anniversary of the of President Yasser Arafat death, in Gaza city, in which the executive force had fired at the participants in the end of it , leading to the killing of seven citizens and wounding tens.
(November 12) - Wafa agency President Mohamed al-Shurafi house, was raided by the executive force in Gaza City, they searched his house and confiscated his computer.
(November 14) - German television ARD cameraman Sawah Abu Sief was arrested, by the Executive Force in Khan Younis city (Gaza Strip), while covering a reception of Fatah member, who was released by the executive force, Abu Sief has been transferred to police stations in the city, and was released after one hour later questioning.
(November 15) - Al-Manar TV correspondent in Gaza Strip Imad Eid, was threatened by unknown, through a call on his mobile phone.
(November 23) -Felesteen daily newspaper reporter in Nablus city Mukhles Samarah was arrested by Palestinian intelligence service, after being summoned investigation.
(23/11) - Three daily newspapers (Al-Quds, Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah, issue in West Bank), were Prevented from entering Gaza Strip, by the Israeli occupation forces in control of the Beit Hanoun crossing.
(23/11) - Wafa Agency photographer in Ramallah Jihad Nakhlah was prevented from traveling to France, by Israeli occupation authorities, in pretext of security reasons.
(November 24) – Ma’an Agency correspondent in Bethlehem city Hafez Asakreh, was abducted by Palestinian armed group, for a period of 8 hours, they pressured him to contribute to the news fabrications, which could lead to friction in the Palestinian arena. This year had witnessed three kidnappings (France Press Agency photographer Jaime Razuri, and BBC correspondent Alan Johnston, in addition to Asakreh.
(November 25) - Associated Press photographer Mohammed Mhaissen was wounded in his left foot, by rubber bullet, when Israeli occupation forces fire on journalists, during their demonstration coverage, in Beir Zeit town north of Ramallah.
(November 26) - Administrative detention of the of Felesteen (Palestine) newspaper Director Office in West Bank Walid Khalid, was extended for six months, by Israeli military court, Khaled was arrested by Israeli occupation forces on Mai 18,2007, and was transferred to administrative detention on June 7,2007, he has been isolated in Ramleh prison since thirteen of last August.
(November 27) – Palestinian police forces attacked Al-Jazeera TV correspondent Wael Alshiokhi, which led to fractures in his left hand, Director of Watan local TV Moammar Orabi, they detained France Press Agency photographer Abbas Moumni, BBC Cameraman Nader Ghoul, APA agency photographer Essam Rimawi, Palestinian Company for Communication and Media news producer Rami Samarah, they confiscated their cameras and return them after their release, about half an hour later ,the journalists were trying to cover two demonstrations held in Ramallah city in protest the of Middle East peace conference holding in Annapolis (USA), also a number of the police member tried to attack Palestinian journalists syndicate head Na’im Toubasi.
(November 27)-Al-Quds newspaper correspondent Najeeb Farraj, local shepherds TV in Bethlehem cameraman Jalal Hmeed, Bethlehem local TV cameraman Ghassan Banorah were attacked (Banorah was also detained for several hours), by Palestinian intelligence service, while trying to cover a peaceful demonstration, which took place in Bethlehem city in protestation of Annapolis conference holding.
(November 29) - Aqsa television cameraman Mohammed Halaiqa was arrested in Hebron city, after he was summoned by Palestinian preventive security services, they demand him under threat to stop his work with Aqsa TV, he was released after seven hours of investigation.
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Media freedoms violations during December 2007
More than two hundred and fifty violations of media freedoms through 2007,which Stained in journalists blood, and is the worst in terms of violations from Palestinian sides
Last year is considered one of the worst on Palestinian media since the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority on 1993, it has witnessed more than two hundred and fifty media freedom violations, more than half of them and the worst were committed by Palestinian sides, especially in February, May, June, November, because of the intensification of the conflict between Fatah and Hamas movements, which deepened after Hamas control on the Gaza Strip, on the middle of last June.
Three media workers Has been executed (Suleiman Al-Ashie, Mohamed Abdou, from Felesteen newspaper, Issam Al-Joujo from the site news Palestine Live), tens of journalists were attacked, a lot were threatened detained, and arrested, , the headquarters of media outlets, were seized, their equipment was confiscated or damaged, some of them were prevented from work, such as: Palestine Public Television, Sawt Al-Omal Radio, Voice of Palestine Radio, Sawt Al-Hureya Radio, Sawt Al-Sha’b Radio, etc. .. in Gaza City, Aqsa Television Office in Ramallah, Jabal Al-Nar Radio, Afaq local TV, Ruwwad Press Office, in Nablus, Albian Press Office in Salfit .. etc., and newspapers were prevented from printing and distribution: Felesteen and Al-Resalah in West Bank and Al-Sabah in Gaza Strip.
The past year has witnessed the continuation of the foreign journalists kidnapping phenomenon, despite the decline compared to the previous year, (photographer France Press Agency Jaime Rarzuri and BBC correspondent Alan Johnston, who has been subjected to the longer period of abduction, which lasted from March 12 to July 4), while Six journalists have been kidnapped the previous year. The security chaos led to the departure of foreign journalists of the Gaza Strip, where the international media asked its local correspondents to cover events there.
Some Arab media is not spared from violations, especially in light of the accusations that were directed from Fatah movement to Al-Jazeera Channel of being biased to Hamas, and Hamas accusations of Al-Arabia Channel bias to Fatah Movement (Al-Arabia office was blown up in February 2007).
For the first time since the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority, journalists has been brought to trail (A’la Taiti and Osaid Amarneh from Aqsa TV), and areas were the announced as closed military zones to prevent journalists from events covering in which there were marches and press conferences.
Campaigns of incitement in the media which belongs to both parties escalated, and reached to high degree of bathos and platitudes and defamation, especially in some electronic news sites, in addition to the accusations of heavy-caliber, including accusations of betrayal and compromise the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, this situation has resulted in dropping of Palestinian media to low levels, hasten its going away from professional standards, thereby exacerbating the many problems already exists, so Palestinian citizen were deprived from correct information from local sources often, that’s lead to continued escape of readers, listeners and viewers from it ,and to follow Arab and foreign media.
The intensification of conflict in the Palestinian arena enhance polarization in media, and divided it vertically, especially after geographical division, which happened after Hamas control over Gaza Strip, what’s has increased the intensity of polarization is that the media loyal to Fatah or belong to Palestinian Authority has become banned from work in Gaza, Hamas media, or pro-Hamas became banned from work in West Bank, that was combined with increasing pressure on few independent media outlets to bias to one of the two parties, journalists are became afraid to cover internal events in a lot of cases, for fear of angering both parties, that’s led to the strengthening of self-censorship among journalists and media outlets editors.
The so many and serious media freedoms violations, that have occurred during the past year, in addition to the decisions and actions, which prevented peaceful gatherings and demonstrations, and the necessity to get the journalistic card from the Ministry of Information of the dismissed Government in Gaza Strip, had seriously affected the right of journalists and citizens to freedom of the press and of opinion and expression in Palestinian territories, which is guaranteed by the Palestinian basic law, and the Printing and Publications law, in addition to international charters, especially Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, so it was not surprising that the Palestinian territories ranked in 158 place in the classification of the annual World Press Freedom last year, out of 169 countries, according to Reporters Without Borders(RSF), while ranked in 134 place in 2006.
Israel as occupation state was and still interested in hiding its crimes, and persistent violations of Palestinian rights (the most prominent example of this is what was happening in Bail’in and Um Salamonah villages, though what the press was covering is a weekly peaceful activities, with the participation of a world peace activists, and activists even from Israel itself), so they were targeting of journalists, in order to terrorize and terrify them, to stop covering its crimes and practices, contrary to all international norms and laws in the occupied Palestinian territories.
the international lukewarm and sometimes careless reactions, to Israel’s media freedoms violations, in the occupied Palestinian territories, has encouraged them to continue their violations, which were continued since long ago, even to preserve in it.
The Israeli occupation forces has continued to violate media freedoms over the past year, the most serious was the attempt to murder Aqsa TV cameraman Imad Ghanem, in front of eyes of the viewers, in live broadcast on Al-Jazeera live, and has continued attacks on journalists especially during the coverage of peaceful demonstrations against the construction of apartheid wall, and the repeated incursions of Palestinian regions and cities, also continued its raids on the headquarters of media outlets especially in Nablus city, where they confiscated equipment and issued closure orders of television stations, arrested journalists and brought them to trial or administrative detention, and continued to limit the journalists ability of movement to cover events, prevented many of them from traveling, and barred entry of newspapers published in the West Bank to Gaza Strip, for different periods.
The failure to prosecute the aggressors against journalists and media institutions and to bring them to justice in previous years, whether from the Palestinian side or the Israeli, had contributed to the increase of media violations during the past year.
While we express our strong condemnation of all attacks on journalists and media outlets, we hope that the current year would witness a significant improvement on freedom of opinion and expression, and halting of media freedoms violation in Palestinian territories, despite our conviction that without the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the Palestinian territories, and without the rule of law in the Palestinian territories, it is difficult to talk about serious decline in of media freedoms violation, therefore Mada center is:
- Demanding Salam Fayyad Government, and Ismail Haniya dismissed Government to respect freedom of opinion and expression, prosecute the aggressors against journalists and media outlets, and bring them to justice.
- Demanding the international community to put pressure on the Israeli government to stop its attacks against journalists, and to prosecute those responsible for attacks on journalists and media outlets, and bring them to justice.
- Calling on journalists and media outlets to adhere to professional standards, and to stop exercising self-censorship