New York, April 1, 2002—CPJ is alarmed by the mounting press
freedom crisis in the West Bank as Israeli forces widen their military
offensive.
In the last few days, at least two journalists have been wounded by gunfire
and Israel has tried to bar all reporters from the embattled city of Ramallah.
"Barring journalists from conflict areas constitutes censorship," said
CPJ executive director Ann Cooper. "Although Ramallah is indeed a dangerous
place, journalists are there because they have a duty to cover this important
story."
"We are deeply disturbed by Israel's evident desire to prevent journalists
from witnessing its current activities on the West Bank," Cooper said.
"CPJ calls on all parties to the conflict to permit media access to conflict
areas and to fulfill their responsibility to safeguard journalists in
the field."
While the ban has been sporadically enforced since Friday, several journalists
have been prevented from entering the city or moving freely within Ramallah,
according to CPJ sources.
The Government Press Office has announced that no "foreign citizens (including
members of the media) are allowed to be in the closed zone," and that
"anyone found in the closed zone henceforth will be removed. Members of
the media are advised that their presence in the closed zone is at their
own risk."
Journalists were warned that violators could be arrested and stripped
of their credentials, or have their offices closed down.
In one case on Saturday, Israeli forces barred reporters from the French
television station France 2 from entering Ramallah. One of the France
2 reporters told CPJ that soldiers threatened them, hurled a bottle at
them, and fired a shot in their direction.
Today, April 1, Israeli troops expelled a CBS News television crew from
Ramallah, The Associated Press reported.
In the past week, at least two journalists have been wounded by gunfire
on the West Bank. CPJ is currently investigating other reports of injured
journalists.
U.S. reporter shot in Ramallah
On the afternoon of Sunday, March 31, Boston Globe reporter
Anthony Shadid was wounded by a single gunshot in Ramallah.
Shadid told CPJ that he and his colleague, Boston Globe stringer
Said Ghazali, were walking away from Palestinian National Authority chairman
Yasser Arafat's compound in Ramallah when a bullet entered Shadid's left
shoulder. The area was completely quiet at the time, and both journalists
were wearing flak jackets marked "TV" in red tape.
Shadid told CPJ that he did not see who shot him, but added that the area
was surrounded by Israeli tanks and soldiers. The journalist was taken
to a Palestinian hospital after receiving first aid from a group of Israeli
soldiers.
In other recent developments:
- On March 29, Palestinian cameraman Carlos Handal, who works for
Egyptian Nile TV and Abu Dhabi TV, was shot in the mouth after his
car came under attack in Ramallah, according to international press
reports. Handal is currently hospitalized in stable condition. It
is unclear who fired the shot that hit him.
- Also on March 29, the Tel Aviv-based Foreign Press Association
reported that Israeli forces had commandeered a Ramallah building
used by local and foreign journalists. Israeli troops forced all media
representatives out of the building.
On March 31, Israeli authorities announced they would begin enforcing
existing rules under which journalists must submit reports about defense
matters to a military censor. They also said any Palestinians found working
in Israel for foreign news organizations without proper documentation
would risk arrest. Repeated violations could result in heavy fines and
the closure of foreign media offices, authorities said. In Jerusalem,
Israeli authorities threatened to fine any news organization US$15,000
if it was found harboring Palestinians "without the proper permits."
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