Journalists attacked in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 1992
Ten years after the Arab Spring, the region’s media faces grave threats. Here are the top press freedom trends
In early February 2011, Alaa Abdelfattah was in Egypt’s Tahrir Square, documenting and participating in the nascent pro-democracy uprising that would topple the government and transform the country and the region. Today, he is in prison on anti-state and false news charges, which his family believes are partly retaliatory for his work. Abdelfattah is one of…
In Israel, at least eight journalists attacked while reporting on COVID-19 restrictions in ultra-Orthodox areas
On October 4 and 7, 2020, at least eight Israeli journalists who were reporting on COVID-19 lockdown compliance in Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods of Mea Shearim and Kiryat Belz and in the cities of Bnei Brak and Beit Shemesh came under attack by residents, according to news reports and social media posts by the journalists…
Israeli forces arrest Palestinian filmmaker Abdulrahman Thaher at his home in Nablus
New York, October 28, 2020 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today called for the immediate release of Palestinian journalist Abdulrahman Thaher. Yesterday, Israeli security forces raided the home of Thaher, a Palestinian filmmaker and TV producer and presenter, in the northern West Bank city of Nablus, arrested him, and took him to an unknown…
Israeli security forces arrest Palestinian journalist Tareq Abu Zeid in Nablus
New York, October 6, 2020 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed concern about the recent arrest of Palestinian freelance journalist Tareq Abu Zeid by Israeli security forces. On October 1, Israeli security forces raided Abu Zeid’s home in the northern West Bank city of Nablus and arrested him, according to news reports and…
In an era of global protest, France and Israel stand out for use of dangerous ammunition
With the world gripped in a historic wave of unrest, journalists in no fewer than 65 countries – about a third of the world – have been attacked covering protests since 2015, according to a report I authored for a U.N. agency that was published today. One thing that stood out during my research for the report Safety…
Hamas security forces hold 2 journalists in Gaza for 48 hours for allegedly spreading false news
On July 16, 2020, security forces in Gaza summoned journalists Muthanna al-Najjar, a reporter for the Saudi-funded broadcaster Al-Hadath and the local Al-Quds Radio, and freelance journalist Tareq abu Ishaq, who contributes to the news website 4Media, to the local Attorney General’s office for questioning over a complaint by the local Education Ministry, according to…
Gaza authorities ban Saudi-funded broadcasters over ‘fake news’ report
New York, July 16, 2020 – Gaza authorities should immediately lift their bans on the Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath broadcasters and allow them to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, the Interior Ministry in the Gaza Strip, which is run by Hamas, banned the Saudi-funded news channels from working in Gaza, and…
Israeli police assault, detain Israeli photographer Tomer Appelbaum during protests in Tel Aviv against West Bank annexation
Israeli police kneed, punched, shoved, and briefly detained Tomer Appelbaum, a photographer for the Israeli daily Haaretz, as he was covering a Tel Aviv demonstration against Israel’s West Bank annexation on June 6, 2020, Appelbaum told CPJ via messaging app. Haaretz also reported on the incident, which was captured in videos shared to social media….
Palestinian police assault and arrest journalist Anas Hawari
On May 15, 2020, Palestinian police officers manning a checkpoint in the West Bank town of Anabta pulled over, assaulted, and arrested Anas Hawari, a reporter for the Hamas-affiliated Quds News Network, according to a report by his employer, a Facebook post by his lawyer, Mohannad Karajeh, and a report by the Skeyes Center for…
