The Journalists Support Committee monitored (129) violations of media freedoms against journalists in the Palestinian territories, represented by arrest, targeting with bullets, direct field assault, prevention from coverage, and travel ban, in addition to other forms of targeting journalists and media professionals in the field and inside the occupation prisons.

According to the committee’s report, the month of August 2023 witnessed more than (75) Israeli violations against media professionals, which come within the framework of the occupation forces’ attempt to obscure the glaring truth of its crimes and terrorism practiced against the Palestinians. The report also recorded (33) violations by internal Palestinian parties. In the West Bank, and regarding combating Palestinian content, the report recorded (21) cases of violations by social media sites.

Israeli violations.

During the month of August 2023, the report documented the injury and targeting of (22) journalists, by the occupation forces and its settlers, during their coverage of the occupation’s incursion into Palestinian cities, and the occupation bulldozers’ demolition of Palestinian homes in occupied Jerusalem and the occupied interior, and during their coverage of marches and events in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, where the use of... The occupation used rubber bullets and poison gas bombs to prevent journalists from covering and being present at the event. It is noteworthy that among them was the injury of a journalist from the Gaza Strip.

The report also documented the arrest, detention, and summoning by the Israeli occupation forces of (10) journalists, namely Ahmed Jalajel, Najwa Adnan, Ahmed Al-Safadi - twice arrested and summoned -, Muhammad Nazzal, Khaled Badir, Shadi Jarara, Sari Jaradat, Ibrahim Sinjalawi, and Youssef Sharawneh.

Regarding issuing rulings and postponing trials, the report recorded (4) cases, after the occupation court postponed the trial of journalist Ramzi Abbasi at the beginning of the month, then issued a detention order against him for a period of one year and an additional day and kept him in detention, as well as issuing a ruling of actual detention for a period of 24 months against journalist Ibrahim Abu Safiya. In addition to the decision to refuse to release the sick writer Walid Daqqa and keep him under arrest.

In addition, the occupation forces, in partnership with the settlers, prevented more than (28) cases of coverage, and obstructed the performance of their duties and their coverage of marches and events in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which showed the violations of the Israeli occupation and prevented them from working, including the firing of live bullets, gas bombs, cursing, insults, and profanity.

In addition, the report recorded (2) cases of travel ban against journalists Muhammad Nazzal and Alaa Al-Rimawi. It also issued a decision to deport (1) journalist Ahmed Al-Safadi from Al-Aqsa Mosque for a month, and imposed a financial fine on (2) journalists Ahmed Al-Safadi in the amount of 5,000 shekels. And Ibrahim Abu Safiya, worth 2000 shekels.

Regarding the break-in and destruction, the report recorded one (1) case of break-in at the home of journalist Diala Jweihan, and one (1) smashing of the furniture in her house under the pretext of searching.

The report also recorded (4) cases of harassment and torture in the occupation prisons against the prisoner writer Walid Daqqa, depriving him of treatment, medical neglect, and refusing to release him. The occupation also prevented journalist Ramzi Abbasi from appearing before his trial, postponed his court before the decision to arrest him was issued, and the court judge refused him to embrace his daughter, as well. The practice of humiliating searches against journalists Khaled Badir and photographer Shadi Jararaa during their arrest and interrogation within the policy of body searches, and they were physically searched for the second time on the same day. before they were released.

Violations of social media sites

: Regarding the fight against Palestinian content, activist journalists and their media sites were subjected to an attack on digital media through the applications of “WhatsApp”, “Tik Tok”, “Facebook”, “Instagram” and other social media sites, after they closed and restricted their accounts and banned them. Social media administrations, in collusion with the Israeli occupation, more than (6) cases of accounts of journalists and media sites on Tik Tok were known, including the “Sama Al-Quds” website, journalist Muhammad Samreen, journalist Abdullah Bahash, and others.

It also targeted dozens of journalists on the “WhatsApp” platform under the pretext of publishing what violates publishing instructions. (12) media professionals and journalists were identified among them: Humam Al-Hattab, correspondent of the “June News” agency, Ibrahim Qanan from “Al-Ghad Al-Arabi” TV, Ibrahim Muslim, the Youth Media Center, the journalist. Samir Al-Nafar, Muhammad Abu Qamar, director of Safa Agency, journalist Muthanna Al-Najjar from Al-Quds Radio, Ahmed Abu Hashem from Al-Quds Today, Rabah Marzouk from Al-Assraa Radio, Ahmed Al-Shaqaqi from Al-Istiqlal Newspaper, Ahmed Ghanem from Al-Mayadeen Channel, and journalist Ahmed Samhoud, who works as a correspondent for Al-Istiqlal Newspaper. "Jerusalem", and others.

Facebook also closed a number of accounts of journalists and media websites, including two (2), namely the page of journalist Abdul Raouf Al-Shanti from the Israeli Occupation Crimes Documentation Commission, the page of Radio “Alm” and the accounts of those working on the page, in the context of combating Palestinian content. It also deleted Instagram. One (1) case against the “Palestine 27” website without prior notice under the pretext of violating standards.

*Internal Palestinian attacks*

Regarding internal attacks against journalists, the committee recorded (33) cases during last August in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In the West Bank, 15 cases were recorded. Palestinian security services and members of the Fatah movement assaulted journalists while they were covering some events in Jenin, Nablus, and Hebron. Six journalists were injured during assaults, beatings, and pepper spraying, and five (5) were prevented from covering and their duties were obstructed. (1) camera was confiscated, and (2) journalists were summoned, in addition to (1) storming the house of writer Lama Khater.

In the Gaza Strip, 18 cases were recorded when the security services summoned (3) journalists, assaulted (5) others, and obstructed the work of (6) while they were covering the “We Want to Live” movement, in addition to unknown persons threatening a number of (3) journalists not to practice any journalistic work. About the “We Want to Live” movement in Gaza, and the seizure of one (1) phone and its search before returning it

Source: Maan News Agency