gaza

New York, June 17, 2009--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns an Israeli court decision to sentence two television journalists on charges of breaching the military censorship law during the offensive in Gaza in December and January.

New York, February 6, 2009--The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Israel to return confiscated news footage of its navy allegedly firing on and boarding a ship on Thursday. Journalists who were on board say they filmed Israeli soldiers assaulting a passenger, and that they were later beaten after their equipment had been confiscated, a reporter who was there told CPJ. According to Al-Jazeera English, Israel denied using violence in the operation.

The Israeli Supreme Court announced today that international journalists must be allowed total access to Gaza in light of the official end of hostilities on January 18. Since November, the Israeli government has said that restricting the entry of these journalists has been for their own safety. Tel Aviv's Foreign Press Association called the claim "patently ridiculous," and today welcomed the court's ruling:

Although Israeli military operations have officially come to an end in Gaza, access for journalists has improved only marginally. Despite a December 31 ruling by Israel's Supreme Court (on the fifth day of military operations) to allow eight journalists to enter Gaza each time the Erez crossing was opened, the government failed to implement the ruling for 18 consecutive days--or in other words, until it declared a unilateral cease-fire. 

The murder of prominent Sri Lankan editor Lasantha Wickramatunga remains in the news with The New York Times running an editorial about him over the weekend. The Daily Times of Pakistan also has coverage of Wickramatunga's death, which has garnered worldwide attention with the publication of the editor's final column--it explained why he felt compelled to risk his life to pursue journalism.

Inter Press News has an article about the continued struggle journalists are facing to report on the conflict in Gaza. The story quotes our letter to Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak criticizing the IDF's decision to bar journalists from entering Gaza. The article cites CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon who says, "By preventing journalists from covering its military offensive in Gaza, Israel is betraying its own democratic principles. It is also denying the world access to fact-based reporting."

New York, January 15, 2009--The Israeli government must ensure that media facilities are not targeted in the conflict in Gaza, the Committee to Protects Journalists said today. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) fired at least one missile today directly at a Gaza City building that houses multiple news organizations, injuring at least two journalists and forcing others to evacuate, Reuters reported.

Reuters has released a video about the Israeli strike today on the Al-Shuruq Tower, a building in Gaza City that houses dozens of international newspapers, television stations, and news agencies, including its own bureau. (Note: Ad precedes.)