Yael Krifcher
Yael Krifcher has been CPJ’s Levant Advocacy Associate since September 2025, where she documents rights violations, and develops and coordinates advocacy initiatives, in service of press freedom and crimes accountability in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory (IOPT). Her previous roles included working with UN agencies and civil society organizations in Palestine and in Washington, DC to promote human rights and humanitarian programming. Yael received her Masters in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 2024, where her research explored human security and 20th century histories of decolonization.
How Middle East journalists report during internet blackouts
Iran is now in the grip of the longest internet blackout in its history, a near-total shutdown that has stretched more than 30 days and reduced connectivity to almost zero. Imposed amid war and unrest, the sweeping, government-imposed blackout has effectively sealed off the country, cutting journalists’ access to sources and audiences, and blocking their…
Under the radar: Israel steps up censorship and suppression of independent reporting
Two years into Israel’s genocide in Gaza, press freedom inside the country has reached a breaking point. Journalists report escalating censorship, harassment, and self-censorship that, they say, now functions as “part of the war effort.” Independent reporting has sharply declined, leaving the Israeli public with a distorted view of the conflict. An October 2025 report…