Dozens of House Democrats are urging President Joe Biden to end Israel’s ban on foreign journalism and attacks on journalists in Gaza, saying that press freedom in the Strip is “more critical than ever” as Israel embarks on a brutal ethnic cleansing campaign against all Palestinians left alive in north Gaza.
In a letter sent to Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier this month, the Democrats said that it is far past time for the U.S. to pressure Israel to allow independent access to foreign journalists into Gaza. At the same time, they warned that Israel has made Gaza the most dangerous place on Earth for journalists.
“In July, over 70 media and civil society organizations signed an open letter calling on Israel to grant journalists access to Gaza,” the lawmakers went on. “Yet foreign media remains largely prohibited from entering the region, except for a few controlled trips arranged by the Israeli military. This effective ban on foreign reporting has placed an overwhelming burden on local journalists who are documenting the war they are living through.”
The lawmakers cited press freedom groups that have found that Israel has killed over 140 journalists and media workers amid its genocide, amounting to over 10 percent of workers in the field in Gaza — a disproportionately high amount compared to the reported deaths of the population at large.
The letter effort was led by Rep. Jim McGovern (Massachusetts), the top Democrat on the House human rights commission. It was signed by 64 other members of the House, including outspoken anti-Zionist advocates like Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) and Cori Bush (D-Missouri).
“At a time when reliable information is more critical than ever, the restrictions on foreign reporting undermine the very foundation of press freedom and democratic accountability. We urge the administration to take immediate action to advocate for unrestricted independent media access to Gaza,” the group wrote.
Israeli forces have targeted journalists throughout the genocide, with some journalists even receiving threats about their coverage of the horrific conditions Israel has created in Gaza. Numerous press freedom and humanitarian rights groups have noted Israel’s clear pattern of targeting journalists. Meanwhile, Israeli officials have conducted a concerted censorship campaign, banning Al Jazeera from Israel and shutting down the outlet’s office in the occupied West Bank.
But Israeli officials have faced no consequences for their suppression of the press, despite numerous complaints filed against Israel in the International Criminal Court for war crimes against journalists.
A group of 18 press and human rights groups, led by the Committee to Protect Journalists, have also signed a letter supporting the Democrats’ effort.
“[Journalists] who remain in Gaza are working in conditions of extreme deprivation and face intimidation, violence, and arrest by Israeli authorities. Many have lost their limbs, homes, or families. They work in an eviscerated media landscape: amongst the large-scale destruction of media offices and equipment, persistent internet shutdowns, and cyberattacks on the media,” the letter says. “This creates a vacuum for propaganda and mis- and disinformation, and undermines the public’s right to know about the devastating impact of the Israel-Gaza war.”
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