Israel fails to support decision to target Gaza journalists
After two months of asking Israeli authorities to explain their decision to attack journalists and media facilities in Gaza in November, CPJ has received an official response. Our inquiries–in the form of a letter and blog by Executive Director Joel Simon, as well as phone calls and emails to the office of the Israeli prime…
Will Israel respond to query on targeting Gaza journalists?
On December 2, CPJ sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requesting an explanation for airstrikes on media facilities during the November 2012 military action in Gaza. The strikes damaged two media buildings and killed and injured a number of journalists. Israeli officials said the military targeted terrorist infrastructure, but provided no explanation…
US pursues return of Palestinian TV station’s equipment
For more than five months, the Ramallah-based private television broadcaster Wattan TV has been without key equipment, including transmitters, computers, files, and archives. On February 29, Israeli soldiers and officials from the Ministry of Communications raided the station without a warrant, saying it was broadcasting illegally and interfering with aircraft transmissions.
State-sponsored attacks: open season on online journalists
The last few weeks have offered the strongest indications yet that nation-states are using customized software to exploit security flaws on personal computers and consumer Internet services to spy on their users. The countries suspected include the United States, Israel, and China. Journalists should pay attention–not only because this is a growing story, but because…
Israel’s ‘anti-boycott’ law hurts the country’s journalists
Two weeks ago, late on a Monday evening, the Israeli parliament passed a controversial law aimed at protecting the country from calls to boycott Israel because of its policies about Palestinians. The law, dubbed the “anti-boycott” law, makes supporting these campaigns a civil offense in the state of Israel. Days after the bill passed, public…
Journalists take stage: Q&A with ‘Record’ playwright
The true stories of journalists from Mexico, Sri Lanka, Russia, the United States, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories will hit the stage July 20 at London’s Arcola Theatre. “On the Record,” which runs through August 13, examines the careers of six journalists, the risks they face, and their determination to make an impact through their…
Journalists on raided flotilla leaving Israel, speaking out
Firsthand accounts from reporters who were on the flotilla of humanitarian activists raided by Israeli forces on Monday are finally coming out as the journalists are released from custody. These early reports indicate that soldiers harassed international journalists—at least six had their equipment either confiscated or destroyed, according to CPJ interviews and news reports. Media accounts have…
Israeli Supreme Court orders Gaza opened to reporters
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…