Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor (Euro-Med Monitor) condemned Israeli travel bans on Palestinian journalists and called for an immediate end to the Israeli travel bans that prevent dozens of Palestinian journalists from leaving the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
A travel ban was also placed on Majdoleen Hassona, winner of this year’s RSF Press Freedom Prize for Independence. Israeli authorities have prevented her from returning from the West Bank to her base in Istanbul, where she works for the Turkish public broadcaster TRT. They have also prevented her from collecting her RSF award, according to WAFA.
Palestinian journalist wins 'Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Award' [the israeli regime has banned her from leaving Palestine] #BDS pic.twitter.com/yADmrBkinZ
— Sarah Wilkinson (@swilkinsonbc) November 19, 2021
Hassona is far from being the only journalist subject to such a ban, RSF and Euro-Med said in a statement. According to a report published by Euro-Med Monitor on November 29, “several” Palestinian journalists are subjected to similar bans that prevent them from traveling abroad and working freely.
RSF is aware of at least 21 Palestinian journalists who are currently banned from traveling abroad. In many cases, no reason is given for the prohibition. When RSF asked the Israeli authorities why Hassona is banned from traveling, they simply responded, “security reasons” and provided no further information.
Head of Reporters Without Borders says Israel shot journalists intentionally | #Palestine https://t.co/FV8yA49ewD
— Middle East Monitor (@MiddleEastMnt) May 21, 2019
“The bans on leaving the Palestinian territories that the Israeli authorities impose on Palestinian journalists clearly violate their freedom of movement,” said Sabrina Bennoui, the head of RSF’s Middle East desk. “The Israeli intelligence agencies and courts use ‘case confidentiality’ as a pretext for giving no reason and for maintaining these restrictions indefinitely in a completely arbitrary manner.”
Euro-Med chief media officer Nour Olwan said:
“Journalists are not a party to the conflict and their coverage of current events is not a crime that they should be punished for. The Israeli authorities’ pursuit of such policies against Palestinian journalists is a setback for freedoms of expression and journalistic work.”
In many cases, the travel bans have remained in place for years, said the organizations. On the basis of a prior arrest, Nawaf Al-Amer, Al-Quds al-Arabi TV’s public programming director, has been forced to remain in the West Bank for “security reasons” since 1983.
I dedicate it to Nizar Banat
Palestinian journalist Majdoleen Hassouna wins the 2021 Free Journalist Award from Reporters Without Borders#Palestine @Majdoleen_H pic.twitter.com/YLq7L67UQM
— BASEL 𓂆 #FreeThemAll (@bani_basel) November 18, 2021
Victims have waged an exhausting battle to get the bans lifted before eventually becoming resigned. Sami Abu Salem, who works for WAFA news agency and has been blocked in the Gaza Strip since 2016, told RSF that he has repeatedly tried without success to travel to the West Bank to participate in WAFA board meetings.
Israel is ranked 86th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2021 World Press Freedom Index while Palestine is ranked 132nd.
(WAFA, PC, Social Media)
