Israel – will you allow international journalists
into Gaza now?
As I write this week's newsletter a ceasefire in Gaza has been agreed in principle. Whether it'll hold is anyone's guess and the details of it are not for Index to scrutinise. Still, it’s an important moment to reflect on two of the most egregious violations to free expression that have arisen over the past 15 months and discuss how they can be remedied.
Chief among them are the attacks on media freedom. To date at least 166 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel and Lebanon since the war began on 7 October, according to the latest figures from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The CPJ believes that at least 11 journalists and two media workers have been directly targeted by Israeli forces. Add to these deaths international journalists being denied entry to Gaza (except under the most controlled circumstances) alongside attacks on critical media within Israel itself and the picture has been incredibly grim, as we’ve reported on often, including here, here and here.
War is never good for media freedom –- or freedom in general –- but what has made this one stand out is that the bulk of these attacks originate from a state that positions itself as a democracy. We do not want this to be normalised, or weaponised by autocratic players who’ll use Israel as an example of double standards, so it’s important that we continue to hold Israel to account.
We must also raise our voices to call, once again, for international media to be allowed into Gaza. Journalists must report as much as they can about what has happened and what will happen at this critical juncture.
Protest rights have taken a knock around the world too, with many instances of police overreach at peaceful protests and, in the case of Germany, outright protest bans. It’s been no better within Israel and Palestine. We’ve seen footage and reports of Gazans who’ve openly criticised Hamas being threatened or harshly punished (see here for example). In Israel the police have suppressed anti-war protests through various means, including unlawfully detaining people at marches.
While attacks onto protest rights are egregious no matter where they take place, as with media freedoms it’s particularly concerning when these attacks happen in democratic states. In the words of Danish human rights lawyer Lotte Leicht, who we interviewed last year:
“These countries are usually there to say ‘Oh, that’s not good’, and we want them to do that! But by not practising what they preach and undermining these principles at home, they will lose that credibility.”
It’s high time to correct the course. As international leaders debate the details of the ceasefire deal we need to see bold, unequivocal commitments to media freedom and protest rights – for everyone’s sake.
Jemimah Steinfeld
CEO, Index on Censorship
