Israeli forces raided the headquarters of PalMedia, a media production company, and searched several offices belonging to Arab and international news outlets in Ramallah city in the central occupied West Bank during dawn hours on Saturday, seizing equipment and documents from at least one of the offices, over accusations of alleged “incitement.”
PalMedia which provides broadcast services to several media outlets, including Russia Today, al-Mayadeen, al-Manar, and al-Quds news.
An Israeli army spokesperson said that Israeli forces had “seized media equipment and documents used for incitement” from a media office in Ramallah – however, the spokesperson could not specify which office the items had been confiscated from.
BREAKING: IDF raided the Palmedia company building in Ramallah where the offices of several media outlets are located. pic.twitter.com/7r2u59mn86
— Behind The News (@Behind__News) July 29, 2017
She added that the raid was part of “ongoing efforts against incitement” in the West Bank. Although the spokesperson was unable to provide details on what equipment was seized, she noted that the documents confiscated included “inciting pictures.”
Clashes also broke out between Israeli forces and Palestinians following the raid, with Palestinians throwing rocks at departing military vehicles.
The ministry called upon the International Federation of Journalists to take immediate actions against the Israeli violations and for the UN Security Council to apply Resolution 2222 to the Palestinian territory in order to provide protection to journalists.
IDF Raids Palestinian Media Facility, Citing Incitement – or in other words publicising & opposing Israel's crimes https://t.co/owkHc2nsj9
— J-BIG (@Jews4BIG) July 30, 2017
Israeli authorities have long restricted Palestinian freedom of expression through censoring social media activity and imprisoning journalists, activists, poets, and novelists.
Israel has been accused of labeling any media that is critical of Israel and its policies in Palestinian communities as “incitement” in order to stifle criticisms of Israel’s discriminatory policies in Israel, its continued occupation of the West Bank for its 50th year, and its decade-long siege of the Gaza Strip that has collapsed the territory into an interminable humanitarian crisis.
(Maan, PC, Social Media)
