New
York, June 3, 2010—The
Committee to Protect Journalists denounces Israel’s editing and distribution of
footage confiscated from foreign journalists aboard the Gaza-bound flotilla that
was raided
on Monday.
On Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces spokesman’s office
released edited portions of confiscated video on its YouTube channel, where the
footage was labeled as “captured.” The Foreign Press Association in Israel, which
represents hundreds of foreign correspondents in Israel, called the use a "clear violation of journalistic ethics and unacceptable" and warned news outlets to "treat the material with appropriate caution."
CPJ called on the Israeli government to immediately return all
equipment, notes, and footage confiscated from journalists. “Israel has
confiscated journalistic material and then manipulated it to serve its
interests,” said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Mohamed
Abdel Dayem. “It must cease this practice without delay, and return all
property seized from journalists who were covering this legitimate news event.”
Journalists have complained of mistreatment during
the raid. Al-Jazeera cameraman Issam Zaatar told the Qatar-based channel that as he was
filming the raid an Israeli soldier struck him with a stun gun. He said he
suffered a broken arm and his camera was damaged during the altercation.
Gadijah Davids, a South African radio journalist, also had her
equipment confiscated, according to her station, Radio 786. Rushni Ali, the station manager,
told CPJ that Davids is in Turkey and will be leaving for South Africa on Friday. The
South African government provided emergency travel documents for Davids because
she “had nothing with her: no clothes, no travel document, no equipment” Ali told
CPJ.
Paul McGeough, Sydney Morning Herald chief correspondent,
told his newspaper
that the raid was “very ugly.” He accused Israel of “absolute disrespect” with
regard to the way that he and other reporters were treated. “Our job requires
us to get the stories, and to reveal things that are not otherwise being
revealed,” McGough said in a phone interview that appears on the paper’s Web
site. “As Israel’s appalling handling of the flotilla demonstrates, you need
journalists there to bear witness, to reveal what is happening out there.”
CPJ’s Abdel Dayem said: “The treatment meted out to our
colleagues is unacceptable. It is Israel’s responsibility to conduct its
operations in ways that also allow journalists to report the news.”
Editor's note: The original text of this alert has been modified in the second paragraph to clarify the Foreign Press Association's position.
