Ramallah - 26/8/2014: The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) held a press conference at Wattan TV headquarters today on the status of media freedoms in Palestine during the first half of this year, focusing in particular on the unprecedented escalation of attacks against journalists and media freedoms witnessed in the Gaza Strip during the recent Israeli attack.
MADA General Director Mr. Mousa Rimawi gave a general overview of the situation and MADA Public Relations Officer Mr. Ghazi Bani Odeh provided more specific information about the nature and quantity of media violations. A summary of MADA’s semi-annual report on the status of media freedoms in Palestine in the first semester of 2014 was distributed to the attendance.
Rimawi explained that the current Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip caused an unparalleled escalation of the violations against media freedomsوUntil now, more than 80 assaults against journalists and media outlets have been committed by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF). This number is unprecedented.
He added: “The Israeli savage attack on Gaza is still ongoing and the numbers of killed and injured is increasing day after day. The latest crime was the killing of our colleague journalist Abdullah Fadel Murtaja last night (25/8/2014), which rose the number of media workers killed by the IOF during its attack on Gaza to 16 journalists in addition to 1 media activist.”
Rimawi pointed out that the recent Israeli assault has seen a significant increase in the level of violence compared to the previous two Israeli attacks on the strip in December 2008-january 2009 and November 2012.
He said that the Israeli occupation forces have committed around 135 crimes, assaults and violations against media freedoms during their three military wars on Gaza. Most of the violations targeting journalists and media outlets have been severe and intensive, with complex consequences and repercussions in the near and far future. Not only were journalists killed or severely injured, but the ability of some media outlets to work effectively was also disrupted for different periods of time.
Rimawi pointed out that the IOF have so far killed 23 journalists and 1 media activist during the last three military attacks. In addition, 24 other journalists were injured as a result of Israeli shelling. The IOF have also shelled 49 Palestinian, international and Arab media outlet headquarters, shelled the houses of 30 journalists, and disrupted the broadcasting of 9 radio stations, TVs and website, using the waves to disseminate inciting messages.
He emphasized: “A significant improvement to the status of media freedoms in Palestine cannot be reached without a stop of Israeli attacks and an end to its occupation. Indeed, the Israeli occupation is the source of the majority of serious violations against journalists and media freedoms in Palestine.”
Rimawi explained that the continuation and escalation of Israeli assaults against journalists and media freedoms in Palestine is due to two main reasons. First, the Israeli occupation is striving to obscure the truth and hide its violations of the Palestinian people’s rights by silencing the media and prevent it from carrying out its role. The other reason is that the state of Israel sees itself as above the law and immune to international accountability. None of the perpetuators of crimes against journalists (and civilians in general) have been held accountable, which encourages them to commit more abuses.
Bani Odeh then reviewed the most prominent findings of MADA semi-annual media violations report (1/6/20014 - 30/6/2014). He specified that MADA monitored 186 violations against journalists and media freedoms in Palestine, i.e. an increase of 64% compared to the violations monitored during the same period in 2013 (73 violations).
He pointed out that the biggest number and most dangerous of these violations were committed by the Israeli occupation (132 violation, i.e. 70% of the total). 54 violations were committed by Palestinian sides (30% of the total).
He indicated that the Israeli violations have been steadily escalating since 2011. In particular the number of physical attacks has been continuously growing. MADA monitored 64 physical attacks during the first half of 2014 whereas there were 31 of them in the same period last year. This is an increase of 49%. The number of detention of journalists has also increased, by more than 130%. Most of the detentions happened in the field while journalists were doing their job, which shows a systematic pattern of limiting the ability of news workers to cover events in the West Bank.
Bani Odeh said further that the Palestinian internal situation has not improved, impairing media freedoms between March and June. MADA monitored 54 Palestinian violations against media freedoms in the first half of 2014 (38 in the West Bank and 16 in the Gaza Strip).
The first half of the current year has even seen the highest number of violations since 2012. MADA monitored 41 cases of abuses in the first half of 2012, and 35 in the first half of 2013.
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) strongly condemns the bloody crimes committed by the Israeli forces against journalists and media outlets in Gaza as well as the continuous abuses of media freedoms in the West Bank and Jerusalem. MADA insists on the need that the international community puts pressure on Israel to guarantee the safety of journalists and media outlets in Palestine and end the impunity of aggressors by holding all those who killed and assaulted journalists in the West Bank and Gaza accountable. MADA also demands the Palestinian Authority to respect freedom of expression and hold those responsible for media violations accountable, especially those who commit physical assaults. The Center also demands the PA to provide a healthy legal environment that enables journalists to perform their work in safe conditions, away from obstacles, violations or pressure.
To read full report:
http://www.madacenter.org/report.php?lang=1&id=1489&category_id=14&year=
