Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemns assaults carried out by both Israeli military troops and Palestinian security forces on members of Palestinian media.
A recent report released by the syndicate displays 18 cases of assaults on Palestinian journalists mostly carried out by Israeli soldiers so far this month, a Press TV correspondent reported.
“In this report, 18 cases of violations against journalists were reported in the occupied Palestinian territories. The majority of these violations were committed by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian journalists,” said member of Palestinian Journalist Syndicate Omar Nazzal.
Israel has intensified its violent behavior against local Palestinian journalists, targeting them deliberately, the report said.
The most significant attack was against a senior Palestinian photojournalist, Moheeb Al-Barghouthi, who was beaten severely by Israeli troops last week as he was covering a demonstration in the Nabil Saleh village near Ramallah.
Al-Barghouthi suffered head injuries and sustained bruises across his body in the attack.
Meanwhile, seven other cases of attacks on local reporters by Palestinian security forces were reported both in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
“The bigger violations are usually committed by the Israeli occupation forces. After the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, attacks on journalists were also committed by Palestinian security forces. Several years ago the number of attacks on Palestinian journalists was equal between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli occupation forces, but in general, most assaults on Palestinian journalists are carried out by Israeli occupation forces,” Al-Alam reporter Fares Sarafendl said.
Other than using physical violence on Palestinian journalists, the Israeli occupation forces also limit the journalists’ freedom of movement by setting up road blocks to prevent journalists from reaching their destination and reporting on the atrocities against the Palestinian people.
Although journalists’ rights are violated by the Israeli forces, the journalists in Palestine are persistent in uncovering the truth and exposing the wrongs committed against the Palestinian people.
(Press TV)
