MADA: Last June was one of the worst months for Palestinian media freedoms
Media freedom is victim of the Israeli military campaign and the internal tension
-Ramallah- 8June 2014: Last June was one of the worst months for Palestinian media freedoms since the beginning of the last year till now, with were a large number of dangerous violations against journalists and media outlets. The reason behind these violations is the military campaign conducted by the Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank after the disappearance of three Israeli settlers. Palestinian journalists have been one of the victims of these attacks, suffering arrests, prevention from covering, and destruction of their equipment. There has also been an aggressive campaign against Palestinian media outlets by the Israeli forces, which raided 3 media outlets premises and seized their equipment worth more than one million dollars, in addition to the loss caused by halting their work.
The internal tensions which followed the reconciliation between Fateh and Hamas has also caused an increase of dangerous violations against journalists committed by Palestinian security forces in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip, more numerous and dangerous in the West Bank. These violations took the form of beating, arrests, investigations and prevention from covering events.
Israeli violations
Physical attacks of journalists:
On Thursday 5/6/2014, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) assaulted 4D Media Production Company correspondent, Elia Abu Gharbiya, while she was near the Qalandya checkpointnorth of jerusalem covering a protest of solidarity with the hunger striker administrative detainees and commemorating the 1967 “Naksa” when Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip. On Friday 6/6/2014, the Israeli forces assaulted the freelance photojournalist Hamdi Abu Rahma and severely beat him while he was covering the weekly demonstration in Bil’in village west of Ramallah. They also deleted all the photos on his camera’s memory card and broke the camera’s lens.
On Wednesday 11/6/2014, Israeli forces assaulted a number of journalists in front of Ofer, the Israeli prison near Ramallah, while they were covering a protest of solidarity with the prisoners in hunger strike.
On Friday 13/6/2014, the IOF shot at three journalists (France Press photographer Abbas Moumani, Palestine TV cameraman Sameh Jaghoub, and Al-Mustaqbal cameraman Haitham Al-Khatib) with rubber bullets while they were covering Bil’in weekly demonstration. The Israeli occupation forces also assaulted and beat the cameraman Muammar Awad while he was covering the clashes in Jerusalem on Friday 13/6/2014.
The IOF also tried to assault Palmedia cameraman Amer Abdeen and to seize his camera while he was filming the soldiers’ raiding of the Al-Qawasmi family’s house in Hebron. The IOF assaulted Palestinian Public TV’s cameraman Iyad Hashlamoon while he was covering Israeli soldiers raiding a house in Hebron on Tuesday 24/6/2014, and on the same day they assaulted Palestinian Public TV cameraman Fadi Yassin while covering the clashes in Tulkarem after the Israeli forces raided the city.
Arrests:
On Tuesday 17/6/2014, at around 1:30 am, the IOF arrested Al-Aqsa general director in the West Bank Aziz Kayed. On Wednesday 18/6/2014 they arrested Ajyal Radio Network photographer Yeyha Habayib while he was covering different attacks committed by the IOF in Hebron. On Sunday 22/6/2014 the IOF arrested Al-Aqsa TV cameraman Suhaib Al-Asa after they raided his house.
Prevention from covering:
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) prevented Al-Quds.com cameraman, Abdulrahman Younis, from filming while he was covering a traffic jam caused by the Israeli soldiers at the Container checkpoint in the West Bank. The IOF also prevented the journalists from covering the raiding of Tulkarem in the West Bank on Sunday 22/6/2014.
Raids and attacks:
On Friday 6/6/2014 the IOF raided “Good Morning Jerusalem” studio and forced the staff to stop broadcasting the program. They arrested the production manager Nader Paipers, Palmedia cameraman Ashraf Al-Shweeki, and one of the show’s guests, claiming that the program is not licensed and incites against Israeli occupation. The IOF also attacked Trance Media headquarters in Ramallah, Hebron and Nablus in the earlier hours of Wednesday morning 18/6/2014 and seized all their equipment. On Saturday 21/6/2014 the IOF also raided Palmedia’s premises in Al-Balou’ area, near Ramallah, which host different media outlets such as Al-Quds TV, Russia Today and Kuwait TV. They seized the electronic storage devices and broke other devices. On Sunday 22/6/2014the Israeli forces attacked in Ramallah the company Turbo Design, which publishes two monthly magazines “Filisteen Alshabab” and “This Week in Palestine”, and seized some of the equipment and archive.
Palestinian violations:
On Wednesday 4/6/2014, the police prevented journalists from covering a sit-in in front of the United Nations headquarters in Ramallah. The protesters were demanding the UN to take action to save the lives of the prisoners in open hunger strike to protest against their administrative detention. On Thursday 5/6/2014, the Palestinian security forces in Tulkarem assaulted Al-Aqsa TV cameraman, Ahmad Al-Khatib, and severely beat him while he was covering a feminist march for political prisoners’ relatives in front of the Intelligence headquarters.
On Saturday 7/6/2014 the Intelligence service in Tulkarem summoned Al-Aqsa TV’s anchorman Mohammad Ishtiwi for investigation. He had already been interrogated on 29/5/2014. On Sunday 8/6/2014, the preventive security forces raided and searched the house of the freelance journalist Abdullah Abu Rjaile and handed him a summons for interrogation.
On Wednesday 11/6/2014, the Palestinian security forces assaulted, humiliated and seized the cameras of a large group of journalists, and prevented them from covering a feminist sit-in that was organized by Hamas against the “political arrests” at Al-Manara square. The journalists are: Hadi Addibs (Filisteen Al-Yaum TV cameraman), Mohammad Jaradat (News producer), Firas Taneene (Ma’an network correspondent), Ali Daraghme (Watan news agency head editor), Ahmad Milhim (cameraman), Anas Abu Arqoub (Palestine TV cameraman), Sa’ed Huwwari (Reuters photographer), Muath Amarne (Trance Media cameraman), and Muath Mish’al (Anatole agency photographer).
On Friday 20/6/2014 the Palestinian security forces in Hebron assaulted journalists and prevented them from covering a solidarity demonstration that was organized by Hamas to support the prisoners who were in hunger strike in the Israeli jails. The journalists are: Yusri Aljamal (Reuters photographer), CNN staff and Palmedia cameraman Yousif Shaheen.
On Monday 30/6/2014, a number of Palestinian men attacked Palestine TV’s vehicle while the staff was covering the IOF raid of the city.
On 1/6/2014, some unknown individuals attacked and robbed Dubai TV’s correspondent, Bassam Almadhoun, in the Gaza Strip. The police in Gaza tried to prevent Sawt Alsha’ab correspondent Mahmoud Allouh from doing his job while he was making interviews with some government employees in Nserat area in Gaza. On Thursday 5/6/2014, the Gaza police assaulted Al-Watan radio station correspondent Yousif Hammad while he was covering the salary crisis in Gaza. On Thursday 19/6/2014, Palestinian security forces in Gaza assaulted Palestine Today cameraman, Daoud Nimir Abu Alkas while he was covering a solidarity event with the administrative detainees on hunger strike.
Conclusion and Recommendations: The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) expresses it concerns about the escalation of violations against journalists and media outlets, and strongly condemns all kinds of abuses. MADA also demands the international community to put immediate pressure on the Israeli occupation to stop all kinds of violations against journalists, hold the aggressors accountable, and return all the equipment seized during these raids.
MADA also expresses concerns about the comments of a Palestinian retired colonel criticizing media workers for not doing their duties properly when covering the Israeli attacks in Hebron. MADA demands an end to all sorts of incitements and to hold the person responsible accountable. It also asks the Palestinian security forces to respect the basic law that guarantees freedom of expression in its article 19, to stop harassing journalists, and to announce rapidly the results of the investigations on the recent attacks against journalists.
MADA welcomes the decision of the Executive Committee of the International Federation of Journalists to expel Israel from the organization for the lack of commitment of the Israeli Journalists Syndicate toward the respect of IFJ regulations.
Details of violations:
On 1/6/2014 Dubai TV correspondent Bassam Al-Madhoun was attacked and robbed by unknown individuals while he was walking in Gaza. Al-Madhoun reported to MADA that he was walking in a street adjacent to Al-Azhar University, in Gaza city, at around 9:00 pm when two unknown individuals attacked him from behind and stole his laptop. Al-Madhoun added that the previous day he had written comments on his Facebook page criticizing some actions of the government in Gaza but that he did not know if the assault was related to that. He noticed that the attackers did not try and steal his wallet and cell phone.
Al-Madhoun also reported that he had submitted an official complaint to the police and is waiting for the results of the investigation.
On Monday 4/6/2014, some policemen tried to prevent journalists from covering a sit-in in front of the UN headquarters in Ramallah, organized to urge the organization to take action to preserve the lives of the Palestinian administrative detainees in hunger strike. Wattan TV cameraman, Ahmad Melhim, reported to MADA that the journalists and photographers were prevented from covering the sit-in, that the police tried to push them away from the place. He explained that one of the policemen pushed him and threatened him by saying that he would beat him if he did not leave the place. Melhim stayed and continued his work.
On Thursday 5/6/2014, the IOF assaulted 4D Media Production correspondent, Elia Abu Gharbiye, while she was covering a demonstration of solidarity with administrative detainees in hunger strike and commemorating “Al-Naksa” near Qalandya checkpoint.Abu Gharbiya reported to MADA that while covering the demonstration, an Israeli soldier deliberately threw a sound grenade at her but the grenade hit the wall and rebounded against her shoulder, causing some bruises in her shoulder.
On Thursday 5/6/2014, Gaza policemen tried to prevent Sawt Al-sha’b radio station’s correspondent, Mahmoud Allouh, from making interviews with governmental employees in Al-Nuseirat area in the Gaza Strip. Allouh reported to MADA that the internal security was preventing Palestinian Authority employees from getting their salaries at the ATM machine in Al-Nuseirat because the government in Gaza was not able to pay the Hamas governmental employees in Gaza. Allouh added that while he was making an interview with the employees, the policemen came near him and seized his phone and ID. They also asked him about the reasons why he was in the area and Allouh replied that he is a journalist and showed them his professional card. They did not listen to him and prevented him from continuing his work. The police received order to give back Allouh’s phone and ID, which they did after half an hour.
On Thursday 5/6/2014, Gaza policemen assaulted Al-Watan radio station correspondent Yousif Hammad while he was covering the salary crisis in the Gaza Strip. Hammad reported to MADA that the episode took place at around 11:15 am near a branch of Palestine Bank in Jabalya, where he was making live interviews for the morning program about the salary crisis, with the employees showing their resentment and complaining about the situation. Seven policemen assaulted him and hit him with cudgels and guns butts. He added that he was hit directly on his head, causing him to faint. When he woke up he found himself inside the police vehicle. He was brought to the police station in Jabalya and on the way the policemen harassed him verbally. When they reached the police station, an officer, who happened to be one of his brother’s friends, recognized him and placed him in a private room where he was well treated. However, the policemen threatened him telling that he might be executed for sedition, and accused PA employees of being traitors. After an hour and a half he was released. Hammad then went to Al-Shifa’ hospital where he was diagnosed with a concussion in the head, a fissure in his right foot, and bruises on his hands and left arm.
On 5/6/2014, the Palestinian security forces in Tulkarem assaulted Al-Aqsa TV cameraman, Ahmad Al-Khatib, and severely beat him while he was covering a demonstration for female relatives of political prisoners in front of the intelligence service headquarter. Al-Khatib reported to MADA that while he was opening his camera to start filming, one of the security forces in plain clothes came close to him and told him that he is not allowed to film. Al-Khatib told him that he is a journalist, but the security did not listen to him and tried to seize his camera. As Al-Khatib fought back a number of security officials attacked him and severely beat him on his neck, chest and head. He was then dragged away to be arrested but the women stopped the officers. Later on one of them asked him to leave the place, which he did. His camera was confiscated.
On Friday 6/6/2014, the Israeli occupation forces raided the place where the program “Sabah Al-Khair Ya Quds” [Good Morning Jerusalem] was being filmed, and forced the staff to stop broadcasting. They arrested the program director, Nadir Paipers, the cameraman of Pal Media agency Ashraf Al-Shweeki, and one of the guests, claiming that the program is not licensed and incites against the Israeli occupation.
The director of the program, Mai Abu Asab, reported to MADA that the Israeli occupation forces raided the headquarters of the studio in Jerusalem, where the program was being recorded and broadcasted live, telling them to immediately stop filming. They arrested her colleagues Paipers and Shweeki whom were released after an hour and a half of interrogation. Abu Asab added that the accusations against the program - that it is illegal, not licensed and inciting against Israeli occupation - are not true at all since they have been broadcasting for five years through Pal Media Company which is licensed in the city. Mai said also that Israelis told her colleagues that a complaint will be submitted against the program’s direction later.
On Friday 6/6/2014, the Israeli forces assaulted and severely beat the freelance photojournalist Hamdi Abu Rahma while he was covering the weekly demonstration in Bil’in village west of Ramallah, erasing all the photos in his camera and breaking the lens. Abu Rahme reported to MADA that while he was taking photos of the demonstration, Israeli soldiers approached him and ordered him to stop taking photos and give them his camera. When Abu Rahma refused, 6 Israeli soldiers attacked him, severely beat him, pointed a gun towards his head, and took his camera forcibly. Abu Rahme added that the beating was violent, with use of hands and guns butts. All the photos camera taken by his freelance colleague Haitham Al-Khateeb were deleted.
On Saturday 7/6/2014, the Palestinian intelligence service in Tulkarem summoned again Al-Aqsa program presenter Mohammad Ishtiwi for interrogation. An investigation on his work with Al-Aqsa TV had took place on 29/5/2014. After the interrogation he was given back his ID which had been kept since the previous investigation, and then released. Ishtiwi added that this time he was treated very well. The interrogation lasted from 10:00 am till 12:30 pm.
On Sunday 8/6/2014, at around midnight, the preventive security forces raided and searched the house of freelance journalist Abdullah Abu Rjeile in Ramallah city. Abu Rjeile reported to MADA that his personal laptop, cell phone and ID were seized. He was handed over a summons to go to their headquarters the next day. He went there at 10:00 am, he had to wait for one hour before being interrogated for an hour. He was then detained for 3 hours before being interrogated. The investigation focused on the photo exhibition that was held in solidarity with the prisoners in May, in addition to photocopying books for university students 3 years ago. Abu Rjeile added that in total the investigation lasted for 27 hours approximately. When he was eventually released, his ID and cell phone were returned to him - after searching it and questioning about all the phone numbers and messages it contained - but not his laptop. The device was supposed to be given back to him the following day, but have not been so to the moment of writing of this report.
On Wednesday 11/6/2014, the Palestinian security forces assaulted and humiliated a large group of journalists who were covering a sit-in organized by female Hamas activists against the political detention of Hamas members at Al-Manara square in Ramallah. The assaulted journalists were Hadi Al-Dibbs (Filistin Al-Yaum TV cameraman), Muhammad Jaradat (producer), FirasTannina (Maan TV correspondent), Ali Daraghma (Watan TV chair editor), Ahmad Milhim (cameraman), Anas Abu Arqoub (Palestine TV cameraman), Sa’id Hawari (Reuters photographer), Muath Amarne (Trance Media’ cameraman), and Muath Mashaal (Al-Nadul agency photographer). The journalists reported to MADA that the following took place:
· Hadi Al-Dibbs told MADA that plainclothes security forces attacked and punched him, then tried to seize his camera and prevented him from taking photos. He also reported having injuries on his face.
· Muhammad Jaradat reported to MADA that while he was taking photos from his office overlooking Al-Manara square, security forces suddenly raided his office, tried to take his camera, and then took him to the police station. He was released after a short while. He added that his colleague Anas Abu Arqoub was also detained and then released, and that Sa’ed Huwari was also attacked.
· Firas Tannina reported that the security forces were beating the journalists violently and seizing their cameras. He reported that when he tried to calm them down, saying that they were journalists and ought to be treated with respect, they hit him. He added that he suffers from severe pain in his right arm and has received medical treatment from the Red Crescent.
· Ali Daraghma indicated that while he was covering the demonstration with his colleague Ahmad Milhim, the security forces tried to hit Milhim and to detain him but Daraghma tried to stop them but they hit him in the chest and he suffered from pain in the thorax.
· Muath Amarne reported that the security forces attacked him and hit him with their hands and cudgels. They also broke his camera. He added that he was later on brought to the police station where he received a fair treatment. He has filed an official complaint against the aggressor. He reported several bruises in his face and neck, and pains in different parts of his body.
· Sa’ed Al-Huwwari reported to MADA that the security forces hit and cursed him, and that his camera was partially broken.
On Wednesday 11/6/2014, the Israeli forces attacked a number of journalists while they were covering a demonstration of solidarity with hunger-striker prisoners in front of the Israeli prison Ofer, near Ramallah. AP photographer Majdi Ishtayye, reported to MADA that the Israeli forces dispersed the demonstrators, expelled the protesters and threw stun grenades, targeting journalists in particular. Eshtayeh added that the soldiers threw a grenade at his colleague Imad Eslim which caused injuries and burns on his right foot, preventing him from walking for 15 minutes. Later, the IOF sprayed wastewater on the journalists, damaging their equipment, even though they knew they were journalists. Among the victims were: Al-Ghad TV staff Dia’ Hushiya, and Monther cameraman and France Press photographer Abbad Momani and Muaz Amarneh. The latter reported that special security forces violently attacked him by hands and blackjacks, and broke his camera. Then, they transferred him to the police station where he received a fair treatment. He filed an official complaint against the perpetrators. He said he has sustained bruises in the face and neck, and suffers from pains in other parts of his body.
On Friday 13/6/2014, Israeli occupation forces attacked three journalists while they were covering Bil’in weekly march. The cameraman of France Press Abbas Mumni told MADA that journalists were standing far away from protesters and Israeli occupation forces. However, three Israeli soldiers who were stationed above the separation wall fired rubber coated steel bullets and sound canisters directly at them. One of these bullets hit the bag carrying his camera lenses and memory cards. Mumni added that his bag was damaged, two memory cards and his press ID were broken. His colleague, the cameraman of Palestinian Public TV Shamekh Al-Jagoup was injured in the abdomen by a gas canister he was treated in the place by an ambulance crew. The cameraman Haitham Khateeb said that a soldier fired directly a gas canister at him only because he is journalist. He was injured in the leg and sustained slight burns.
On Friday 13/6/2104, a number of Israeli security forces attacked the cameraman Mu'mar Awad while he was covering clashes in Jerusalem. He told MADA that he was severely blackjacked, was dragged away from the journalist group, and then transferred to a hospital to receive treatment. He sustained bruises all over his body and a fracture in one of his ribs.
On Monday 16/6/2014, the Israeli occupation forces attacked the cameraman of PalMedia, Amer Abdin, and confiscated his camera while he was covering the blockade of Quasmi's house in Hebron. He told MADA that he was on live broadcasting of that event through Al-Maiadin TV with his colleagues journalist Nisrin Salma and cameraman Abed Al-Ghani Al-Natsha when an Israeli soldier fired a sound canister at him. Then four soldiers approached him and two of them attacked him. They tried to confiscate his camera and broke it. Abdin added that he suffered light injury and that his camera was returned to him when the chief officer arrived. However, the Israeli army prevented them from coverage and ordered them to leave the place or be detained.
On Tuesday 17/6/2014, the Israeli Occupation forces arrested the director of Al-Aqsa TV, Aziz Kayed, at 01:30 am in the West Bank. His daughter Maryam told MADA: that an Israeli patrol came to their house and interrogated her father about his family members for an hour and a half. Then they arrested him and brought him to Ofar prison, afterwards he was sentenced six months administrative detention.
On 17/6/2014 the Israeli occupation forces prevented the cameraman of quds.com Abed Al-Rahamn Younes to cover a traffic jam caused by Israeli occupation forces near the Container chekpoint in the West Bank. Younes told MADA that while he was covering the traffic crisis Israeli soldiers approached him, cursed him, confiscated his camera, and erased all the picture he had taken. They also threatened him that he would be arrested and his camera broken if he recorded the events another time.
On Wednesday 18/6/2014,the Israeli occupation forces raided Trance Media premises in Ramallah, Hebron and Nablus, and confiscated all equipment. Trance Media’s owner and chairman, Amer al-Ja’abary, reported to MADA that the Israeli occupation forces confiscated equipment around a million dollars’ worth. The company’s headquarters contains state-of-the-art cameras and broadcasting equipment since the company provides media services for ten international, Arabic and local TV stations. The company is unable to continue its work in the coming days because of the lack of equipment. Al-Jabary added that the occupation patrols were accompanied by huge 4X4 Jeep that carried all the equipment (see video here).
On Wednesday 18/6/2014, Israeli occupation forces arrested the cameraman of Ajial radio network, Yehya Habayib, while he was covering different military operations launched by Israeli occupation forces in Hebron. Yehya Habayib reported to MADA that while he was covering events in the Aqabet Taffouh area, an Israeli soldier asked him to stop filming while the army was searching a store. He immediately stopped. Later on, Habayib started taking photos of the store and making interviews with the people in the neighborhood. He also tried to interview the soldier but he seized his two cellular phones and his camera, then cuffed his hands, blindfolded him and dragged him to an unknown area. Habayib added that they walked for around half an hour and then he was seated in a military vehicle for another half an hour, later they took him to a place that he figured out later was a house under renovations. They punched him and humiliated him all the way long, and when they arrived at the house, one of the soldiers removed his blindfold and told him: “I will let you hear a sound that you will like a lot,” and he started breaking his two cell phones, the camera and the memory cards. Habayib was brought again to an unknown area between Taffouh and Halhoul, north of Hebron, taken out of the military vehicle and told to manage by himself. Habayib added that his detention lasted from 3 am to 8 am.
On Thursday 19/6/2014, Palestinian police officers attacked the photographer of Fellesteen Alyawm local Agency, Daoud Nimer Abu Kaas(22years old), in the Gaza Strip while he was covering an event organized besides the United Nations headquarters to support hunger-striker administrative detainees. Abu Kaas told MADA that a police officer prevented him from filming. While he asked him about the reasons, stressing that he was a journalist, the officer responded: " hell with journalism, it’s a trivial thing." Abu Kaas added that they confiscated his ID and accused him of filming for non-journalistic purposes. Then another police officer came, shouted at him and cursed him loudly and humiliated him. He hit him and broke his camera. Abu Kaas said that he refused to go to police headquarters in a police car and preferred going by himself. There he discovered that the previous officer had filed a complaint against him.
On Friday 20/6/2014, a group of Palestinian security forces attacked journalists and prevented them from covering a march organized by Hamas to support hunger-striker prisoners in Israeli jails after the Friday prayers in Hebron. The cameraman of Reuters Yousri Al-Jaml told MADA that Palestinian security forces dispersed the march, and all journalists were prevented from covering the events. CNN's crew and Pal Media cameraman Yousef Shahin were attacked. The correspondent of CNN, Pen Wedenan, told MADA that a plainclothes security officer ordered to take the camera of his colleague Kareem Khader. He added that while they were trying to take back the confiscated camera, security forces pulled back forcibly and the camera was broken to two parts. Security forces also pushed them and shouted at them. The correspondent of Al-Quds TV Mamdouh Hamamra told MADA that the journalists covered the first part of the march without clashes but when security forces tried to disperse protesters, they attacked the journalists to prevent them from covering what was going on, I saw them when they attacked Shahin and they prevent photographers Hazem Bader and Eyad Hamad from covering .
On Saturday 21/6/2104, the Israeli occupation forces raided Palmedia’s headquarters in Al-Balou’ area in albireh city, near Ramallah. The premises host other media outlets such as Al-Quds TV, Russia Today TV, and Kuwait TV. The IOF seized the electronic storage devices and broke some equipment. Russia TV chief deputy editor Mohammed Hassan told MADA that the TV demanded Israeli occupation forces to explain the reasons of what they did. At first, the Israeli army said that their target was Al-Quds TV and that they had believed mistakenly that Al-Aqsa TV was located in the same building. Then they said that they were targeting PalMedia company headquarters since it cooperates with Hamas. Hassan declared that in addition to material losses - the breaking of furniture, computers and three doors, and the confiscation of 15 hard disks and 50 films - the intangible losses were important.
On Sunday 22/6/2104, the Israeli occupation forces raided Turbo Design Company headquarters in Ramallah where the monthly magazines "Filistin Ashabab" and "This Week in Palestine" are issued, confiscating some of their computers and servers. The managing director of "Filistin Ashabab", Doha Abu Hijleh, told MADA that the Israeli occupation forces came at around 04:00 am on Sunday morning, confiscated two large-size Mac computers, one PC, a laptop, a hard disk and two servers. She indicated that the administration estimated that the company needs 35,000 USD at least to work effectively again. She added that the company lost all its archives recorded since 1985, which is priceless and cannot be compensated. She also said that it was not the first time that they had suffered abuses from the Israeli occupation forces, which prevented the distribution of "Filistin Ashabab" in the Gaza Strip and confiscated all copies a month ago. They also confiscated copies of the magazine in the Old City of Jerusalem and the distributer was imprisoned in March. In addition, they confiscated copies of the magazine several times at the Karamah crossing, and the company had to stop their distribution to Jordan.
On Sunday 22/6/2014, the Israeli occupation forces prevented journalists from covering a raid on Tulkarem city. Fadi Yassin, the cameraman of Palestinian Public TV, told MADA that Israeli occupation forces prevented all journalists from covering the event, confiscated all the cameras. They gave them back after the journalists talked with the chief officer but were not able to cover anything.
On Sunday 22/6/2014, at around 02:00 am, the Israeli occupation forces raided the house of Sohaib Assa, the cameraman of Al-Aqsa TV in Bethlehem. They inspected his house, told him that he was under arrest, and confiscated his cellular phone, computer and ID. He added that they brought him to Aush Ghorab military camp where he was interrogated for a short time about himself and the three kidnapped settlers. He was released four hours later without his confiscated belongings being returned to him. He filed a complaint to the Military Liaison Office in order to get his things back but did not receive any answer until now.
On Tuesday 24/6/2014 Israel occupation forces attacked the cameraman of Palestinian Public TV, Ayyad Hamshaloun, while he was covering the Israeli occupation forces’ raid of house in Hebron, detaining one person. An Israeli soldier approached him and hit the camera with the butt of his rifle, breaking the lens. Hamshaloun added that he moved to another place to film with another camera but Israeli soldiers approached again and prevented them from filming. They therefore left the area.
On Tuesday 24/6/2104, Israeli occupation forces attacked the cameraman of Palestinian Public TV, Fadi Yassin, while he was covering clashes resulting from the Israeli raid on Tulkarem city-center. Yassin told MADA that it was obvious that Israeli soldiers were targeting journalists to prevent them from covering. At first, they directed searchlights directly on their faces, then fired gas canisters at them. Like some of his colleagues, Yassin departed the area but left his cameras in recording mode on the spot. However, when they returned to change the position of their cameras, the soldiers deliberately fired gas canisters at them. Yassin was injured in the left leg and had to go to Tulkarem governmental hospital to receive treatment.
On Monday 30/6/2014, a group of Palestinian youth attacked Palestinian Public TV's car while the crew was covering an Israeli raid in Hebron. Eyyad Hamshaloun, the cameraman of Palestinian public TV, told MADA that while the crew was filming, a group of youths hurled stones at the TV's car, breaking its windows. They also threw a paint canister at the car. Hamshaloun believe that this attack came as a result of a phone call which Manber AlHoria Radio received two days before from a retired Palestinian colonel inciting to expel all TVcrews from Hebron or, otherwise, they would be attacked and prevented from covering these events. The retired officer claimed that TVs had not covered properly other past events happening in Hebron during the Israeli military campaign in the West Bank.
Photo By: Hamza Burnat
