Palestinian journalists caught in the Gaza crossfire Décember 2006 Investigation: Jean-François Julliard - Robert Ménard - Hajar Smouni Reporters Without Borders - Middle East desk 5, rue Geoffroy Marie - 75009 Paris Tél : (33) 1 44 83 84 84 - Fax : (33) 1 45 23 11 51 E-mail : [email protected] Web : www.rsf.org ournalists working in the Palestinian terri- president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud tories are exposed to two different kinds Abbas, who reiterated a commitment to respect J of threats, one from the Israeli army, which the work of the media. Reporters Without has been responsible for many acts of violence Borders also met leaders of the factions repre- against the press since 2000, and more recently sented in the Gaza Strip, namely Islamic Jihad, from the various Palestinian factions that do not Fatah, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of hesitate to target media that criticise them. The Palestine (DFLP), the Popular Front for the Gaza Strip has become the scene of especially Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Hamas. It also violent inter-Palestinian clashes this year. The met with Palestinian journalists working for both tension between Hamas, the ruling Islamic party public and privately-owned media. that won the elections at the start of the year, and Fatah, President Mahmoud Abbas’ party, The problem of journalists getting killed or woun- has resulted in a political stalemate that has ded in the Palestinian territories by the Israel paralysed Palestinian institutions. Defence Forces (IDF) was raised at a meeting with Israeli army representatives. Reporters The split within the government has inevitably Without Borders reiterated its request to the had repercussions on the street. Some Israeli authorities for public enquiries to be car- Palestinian factions have been clashing regularly ried out in order to establish the circumstances since the start of the second Intifada in 2000. of these incidents. Criminal gangs and militias affiliated to the lea- ding Palestinian families have also been involved All representatives of the Palestinian factions in this fratricidal violence. But the intensified and Israeli army voice a desire to respect press rivalry between the two main political groupings freedom and the work of journalists, but the figu- has taken the internal armed struggle to a new, res are alarming. This year alone, the Israeli army unprecedented level. attacked or threatened 16 journalists and wrecked the premises of three news media, A Reporters Without Borders delegation visited while Palestinian militants caused damage to the Gaza Strip and Israel from 4 to 7 December seven news media by setting them on fire or with the aim of learning more about the plight of smashing equipment, and attacked at least four journalists, who have inevitably been affected by journalists. Six foreign journalists have also been the increased violence. The organisation met the kidnapped by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian journalists caught journalists Palestinian in the Gaza crossfire 1 Media personnel at the centre of a fratricidal struggle The increase in tension between Palestinian fac- sed by politically-motivated groups that want tions and the failure to form a national unity “even more chaos in Gaza.” Finally, some groups government have increased the difficulties for are trying to imitate what is happening in Iraq. journalists, especially in the Gaza Strip. Media Whatever the motives, such practices are tanta- personnel are less likely to be targeted in the mount to terrorism and are firmly condemned by West Bank, where the security situation is more Hamas, Al-Haya said. In fact, most Palestinian stable and the Palestinian Authority has more organisations and factions have condemned kid- control of its security forces. Often attacked for napping. working for partisan media, journalists pay dearly for the political divisions, especially the All political leaders agree that the Palestinian relentless battle being waged between Fatah cause is hurt by the kidnappings of foreign citi- and Hamas. zens (the staff of humanitarian organisations have also been abducted in the Gaza Strip). Nonetheless, even if they render a disservice to Foreign journalists become Palestinian interests, no measures have been bargaining chips implemented to bring them to a halt. Furthermore, it seems that the identity of the kidnappers is Ten foreign journalists have been kidnapped in the known in almost all of the cases. But each case is Palestinian territories since 14 August 2005. Two generally considered closed as soon as the jour- Belgian journalists were also the target of an abor- nalists have been handed over safe and sound to tive kidnap attempt in the south of the Gaza Strip. their embassies. In the very few cases in which a Most of the abducted journalists were freed after judicial investigation has been initiated, it has a few hours or days, and were generally treated never been pursued. well. Only two US journalists working for the Fox News TV network, Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig, Fatah spokesman Tawfiq Abu Khoussa said: were held for a longer period – two weeks. Nine “Even if those responsible are identified, there is days after their abduction on 14 August 2006 in no judicial institution worthy of the name capable Gaza City, responsibility was claimed by the “Holy of trying those who are guilty, nor is there any ins- Jihad Brigades,” which demanded the release of titution capable of implementing a judicial deci- all Muslims held by the United States within 72 sion.” Fathi Tobail, the head of the Palestinian hours. The modus operandi of their kidnappers Authority’s International Press Centre, shares this suggested the Palestinian Territories were going view. He said investigations cannot be completed the way of Iraq. because of the instability in the Palestinian territo- ries and the fact that the security have become Many observers were of the view that the Fox much less effective since the start of the Intifada. News journalists were held for a much longer time “Some people have been summoned by the because they were Americans. But unlike what police in these investigations, but they did not happens in Iraq, all the journalists kidnapped in bother to show up and just vanished into thin air,” Gaza have been freed safe and sound. And, Tobail said. according to several Palestinian political leaders, these kidnappings were not politically motivated. This was the case with Driven by desperation, the abductors reportedly the kidnappers of do this to make their grievances heard. Seeking Spanish photographer work or more pay, they use journalists as bargai- Emilio Morenatti of the ning chips. US news agency, the Associated Press, who Dr. Khalil Al-Haya, the head of the Hamas parlia- was abducted in Gaza mentary group, thinks kidnappers fall into three City on 24 October. A categories. Firstly, he says, there are those who group of about 30 unem- are motivated by personal interests including the ployed people organised Palestinian journalists caught journalists Palestinian in the Gaza crossfire desire to get a job. Other kidnappings are organi- Emilio Morenatti his kidnapping in order 2 to demand jobs from the Palestinian Authority. between Hamas’ armed wing, the Ezzedine al- None of them was arrested or prosecuted. The Qassam Brigades and Fatah militants. Interior safety of the foreign and local journalists is at risk ministry officials also threatened the French TV because of the arming of the population since the station France 2’s cameraman before destroying start of the second Intifada, especially in Gaza, his footage of the clashes. the increasing number of security services1 linked to Fatah or Hamas, and the emergence of crimi- Saleh Zidane, a member of the DFLP bureau in nal gangs whose affiliation is not always clear. Gaza, attributes the prevailing instability to the lack of unity at the head of the government. “This chaos puts journalists in danger,” he said. Increase in physical attacks “We have issued many calls for a better unders- on journalists and news media tanding between the Palestinian factions and for the militias to be disarmed.” Before the second Intifada, Palestinian journa- But some violence against the media has no lists were already harassed by the Palestinian apparent political motivation, as in the case of Authority, which strictly controlled the press and an armed attack on the PFLP-affiliated radio did not hesitate to close down news media or station Sawt al Shaab in the central Gaza City arrest journalists considered to be overly critical neighbourhood of Al Sabra on 1 November, in of Yasser Arafat’s policies. Today, there are which around 10 gunmen smashed computer more press freedom predators and more threats equipment, torched the station’s only transmit- to journalists in the Palestinian territories. ter and fired on employees. “Some people came Journalists who criticise a politician, faction or and set fire to our radio station,” said Rabah H. security official often get threatening phone Mohanna, an PFLP leader. “At first we thought it calls. More seriously, the premises of three was either Hamas or Fatah, but after carrying news media were attacked and ransacked in the out our own investigation we concluded that it space of six months in the Palestinian was the work of three individuals who wanted to Territories. Al Aamal, a radio station owned by a get the attention of the security services in the Fatah-affiliated trade union, was attacked on 12 hope of obtaining a job.” The radio filed a com- October, for example. After tossing a grenade plaint and the three accused arsonists were into the entrance, gunmen made all the journa- charged, but they are out on bail pending trial. lists leave and set fire to the five-storey building. Several sources said Hamas was behind the The various factions generally accused the two attack.