In light of his visit to the region, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms urges US President Barack Obama to pressure Israel to end its attacks on journalists.
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) would like to extend a message to US President Barack Obama asking him to pressure Israel to end its attacks on journalists. In the past five years, around 647 attacks have been documented.
Mousa Rimawi, general director of MADA, stated that Obama’s visit to Israel represents a special opportunity to exert pressure on Israel to respect International Laws and Conventions, which guarantee freedom of expression and provide protection to journalists who are being subjected to continuous attacks by the Israeli Occupational Forces (IOF).
Rimawi added that the past year witnessed a major escalation in attacks on journalists by the IOF, especially during the latest aggression on the Gaza Strip, where three journalists were killed, and where Palestinian, Arab, and International media organizations’ headquarters were bombed. Many journalists sustained physical injuries varying in severity and the afflicted media organisations were subject to large financial losses. What is most dangerous is that Israel did not hesitate to justify its killing of the three journalists and its bombing of media headquarters.
Rimawi confirmed that the international community’s silence has encouraged Israel to proceed with its violations of media freedoms in Occupied Palestine, and to continue its policy of detaining and arresting of journalists. MADA wishes to restate its demand for the release of all imprisoned journalists.
Rimawi added that MADA is confident that the exercise of pressure on Israel by President Obama, and the defining of US relations with Israel according to the extent of Israel’s commitment to respecting international laws and charters, would guarantee freedom of expression in particular and all human rights in general to Palestinians. It would also urge Israel to reconsider its overall policy with regard to media freedoms.
