Killing the Messenger: Targeting the Press in Gaza

Watch the broadcast media's live coverage of the current conflict in the Middle East, and you'll see correspondents doing stand-ups in Israeli cities like Jerusalem and Ashkelon. But virtually no reporters are actually on the front lines in Gaza.

That's because for nearly two months, the Israeli government has prevented foreign journalists from entering the territory.

In an open letter filed on behalf of 400 international reporters, the Tel-Aviv-based Foreign Press Association said:

"In an unprecedented restriction of press freedom, the Gaza Strip has been closed to the foreign press. As a result the world's media is unable to accurately report on events inside Gaza at this critical time."

In a reassuring turn of events, the Israeli Supreme Court today ordered the government to allow the international media into Gaza.

As a result, Israel must now allow up to 12 journalists to enter Gaza whenever it opens the Erez Crossing, the only passenger gateway into the territory.

Still, recent press freedom within Gaza is restricted and dangerous.

Parts of the strip have been declared "closed military zones," most notably of which is the Gaza strip's northern boundary with Israel, which extends two miles into Israeli territory. As a result, journalists are restricted from entering the area to report on what's happening.

A more frightening assault on press freedom is repeat behavior from Israel's 2006 war with Hezbollah in Lebanon; Israel is once again using air strikes to target journalists.

On Sunday, the Gaza City headquarters of the Hamas-operated Al-Aqsa TV were bombed by Israeli Defense Forces.

In response, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued a statement:

"Under international humanitarian law, journalists are entitled to the same protections as all civilians. We are alarmed...by the military's targeting of a media outlet. It is not permissible to target journalists even if their coverage is openly partisan."

Similarly, in the 2006 war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israeli jets destroyed the five-story headquarters of Hezbollah's Al-Manar television.

During that war, Israeli forces also singled out other media infrastructure; aerial attacks on telecommunications devices killed and injured people working for the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation and Tele-Liban.

On July 22, 2006, Israeli fighter aircraft chased a convoy of Al-Jazeera, Al-Arabiya, and Al-Manar vehicles, and fired missiles on the road behind them, even though their cars were clearly marked 'Press' and 'TV."

As is with the current situation with Gaza, when Israel is performing air strikes, everyone is vulnerable - militants, civilians, and journalists alike.

I spoke with Ewa Jasiewicz, human rights activist and writer, and coordinator of the Free Gaza Movement, who's been in Gaza for two and a half weeks. Because of the ban on foreign journalists, she's given nearly thirty interviews in past few days, and has been asked to write stories for a number of news organizations, including the Guardian and The Daily Telegraph.

She says local journalists feel they're being targeted. She spent last night at the headquarters of the Palestinian news agency, Ramattan. Fearing the worst, they'd taken out all their windows, and shortly thereafter, a number of bomb blasts shook the building.

Jasiewicz says of Ramattan,

"They are not moving around at night. They don't have flak jackets, they don't have helmets. They're not like Reuters, CNN, or BBC. They're low-budget, but they get the best pictures, and they've been on the front lines."

With sporadic electricity, local media are having a difficult time operating to begin with. Fearing targeted air strikes, a number of local radio stations have chosen to cease operations.

Says Jasiewicz, "Journalists have said to me 'It doesn't matter if you're a journalist, paramedic...foreigner, or Palestinian. They don't care."

Comments

[Reasonable2008]

In this case, the author has a point, but fails to realize that the rules for journalists in war zones assume that both sides of the dispute operate under recognized rules of engagement. For example, she is clearly blaming the IDF for targeting the TV stations of Hamas (and Hezbollah). Yes, that is the case, but these organizations are more Hamas than journalist, not more journalist than Hamas.

Stopping International journalists from entering Gaza prevents them from getting killed. In Gaza, Hamas is embedded into civilian sites, International journalists don't know which areas are really safe. Hamas does not play the game by international rules, thus Israel has to adjust their strategies to take that into account.

Finally, you may recall how well international journalists did their job in the summer of 2006. I think Israel has taken that into account as well. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

[wadenelson1]

>these organizations are more Hamas than journalist, not more journalist than Hamas.

so sez you. Can you back up your claim with any facts?

Stopping ...journalists from entering Gaza prevents them from getting killed

Yes, I'm absolutely sure that's why Israel is doing it. Concern for their safety.

[xxnounxx]

stop bu-lshitting and insulting peoples inteligence

[BrettonWoods]

I can count the number of worthwhile journalists on my fingers. These sources give a good account of what is happening in the region.
www.pchrgaza.org
www.haaretz.com
www.english.aljazeera.net

[Burglvr]

Israel has the right to do as they wish! Blocking media from the front lines is part of their strategy for a reason. This is an operation that is serious and important to them and they don't need to answer to no one but protect their country from terrorists who have been bombing their country on a daily basis!!!

[sketchley]

right to do as the wish? What planet are you on? No one has the right to do as they please.

[wadenelson1]

>terrorists who have been bombing their country on a daily basis!!!

What, six Israeli dead? 370 Palestinians? Who are the terrorists doing the bombing?

[hughbetcha]

It's not Israel's fault that Hamas has lousy aim. Should they give them more of a sporting chance? Would you?

[darthmaul]

This post is spot on. I saw a report on the BBC tonight that showed a journalist in Gaza who had just, fortunately, gotten out of his car as it was struck by a missile. But don't worry, Israel says there is no problem, and the same with the food and provisions. Israel says that it's provided over 200 truck loads of provisions to Gaza, so people not getting food and water is just a lie. Of course you will have to take their word for it since journalists are restricted and not allowed in to these areas so no independent verification is possible

[Nonpariel]

It doesn't matter if you're a journalist, paramedic...foreigner, or Palestinian. They don't care.

They REALLY DO NOT CARE

[LRonHubbard]

To use a military phrase, Israeli policy toward Palestinians has been a Charlie Foxtrot. Likewise with US foreign policy in the region. Fortunately for us, there is hope for improvement on the US side. But, unless someone shows up in Israeli politics who is at least slightly afflicted with common sense, they are condemned to repeat the patterns of Sharon et al, which is a road to nowhere.

[Glacial]

My, the sayanim are out in force tonight!

Actually, the Arabs have said they will accept Israel, and peace can be had if Israel returns to its pre-1967 borders, and stops illegally occupying the West Bank (and building entire cities on the Palestinian's land). Oh, and stopping blockading Gaza's ports and not promising to shoot down any aircraft that try to take off or land from Gaza airport. So Gaza can stop starving.

You know, collective punishment being one of those things we executed a lot of Nazis for in 1946.

Israel is not the Occupation. To say that opposing the Occupation and the massacres is opposing Israel itself is the same tired old BS that the GOP were spewing here before Iraq. Remember that? Anti-GOP is anti-America? It's the same deal here. Many, many, MANY Israelis and Jews around the world oppose this occupation and the ongoing massacre in Gaza. I guess we're all self-hating Jews.

[Boyaca]

Yep. They learned it from the good old USA and the Vietnam War. Hide your atrosities from the world . The problem is that journalists by their very nature do not trust coverups. Israel is in the midst of committing a war crime. As happened in Iraq and Vietnam before it, the truth will be known.

[hughbetcha]

Is firing missiles wildly into Israeli neighborhoods also a war crime? Please enlighten me.

[camper65]

I suspect that the main reason that the Israelis are denying access to foreign "journalists" is the fact that none of them ARE!!

[AdamX]

Hamas, Palestinians, have sworn to destroy Israel. Have you got that? It is so easy to point your ignorant fingers. You Israel haters advocate the idea of sitting still when threats are posed. Unfortunately, it has already been proven that sitrting still results in holocaust.

You feel bad for Hamas and "Palestinians"? It is because you REFUSE to study history, to even begin to understand what is going on, and what has happened.

[callanish]

"It is because you REFUSE to study history"

Or you choose to fabricate it

[Okay]

The press has the ability to skew public opinion whether the reported "facts" are true or not. Think about it. Why do you prefer to comment on Huffington? More than likely the majority here refer to Huffington to get "their" news because it supports "their" views(in a general sense). Personal perspective is what makes our reality. Its the same reason conservatives watch FOX News. (Maybe less so because FOX is the only major national conservative media source in our country. That's scary, but its a whole separate issue so I'll defer it to later.)

[antenna123]

Israel is comitting a massacre in Gaza. Why would they want to let you report on it?

[xxnounxx]

EXACTLY

[Truby]

A free press is important but given the financial ties big media has these days, free press is an oxymoron. Still no reason but self interest can explain why a government, any government, precludes journalistic access. Open it up, let us decide which truth to believe.

[GZLives]

Why no mention about some of the real reasons your colleagues are kept away?

Maybe its because some of them have this bad habit of having to participate in faking or exaggerating events instead of just reporting them.

Remember Reuters suspending one of their stringers for doctoring photos?
Or the faked BBC story where the reporter used one structure in a tight shot to deliberately misrepresented the extent of the damage. She led the viewer to believe it was an entire block of buildings that were bombed when it was only one. If she had pulled the camera back, it would have been obvious she was lying.

The press, especially the foreign press were absolutely in the tank for Hezbollah and I don't expect much has changed. CNN is already referring to the 350 dead as a "holocaust" and the operation itself as "barbaric". I couldn't help think of the 34,000 Jews shot dead at Babi Yar over a two day period and wonder how CNN would have described that ?

Does the name Muhammed al Dura ring a bell?
The faked French report from which one of the most celebrated photo used for posters, ads etc. came from? Except years later via a trial in France it was finally exposed as a complete hoax?

Yep, thank you free press for manipulating the facts and convincing everyone that black is white and white is black and I suppose that now 350 death is a Holocaust ... wow, great job.

[chaos4700]

LOL! Right, because the entire international media is an anti-Semitic cabal seeking Israel's destruction. I'm glad to see your posts still have as much credibility and veracity as they have always had, GZ.

[wadenelson1]

Israel prefers no press coverage of its massacres. Period.

[xxnounxx]

HOW DARE YOU WIPR OUT THE HISTORY OF HOW MUHAMMAD DURRA WAS MURDERD BY IDF;S..DONT EVEN GO THERE,,ALL THE WORLD SAW WHAT HAPPENED...my god the lies people will say for propaganda.
just like when people like you lied that the isaeli idf did not commit the kana massacre in grapes of wrath and 2006

[zack2007]

I would like to thank you Jennifer for speaking up.

If Israel is telling the truth, then why it denies the journalists right to enter Gaza and report from within?