Posted on 08/11/2014 3:11:38 PM PDT by Eleutheria5
The Foreign Press Association on Monday lodged a strong protest accusing the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas of harassment and of threatening foreign reporters working in Gaza.
The association for journalists working in Israel and the Palestinian territories said Hamas authorities and their representatives employed "blatant, incessant, forceful and unorthodox methods" against visiting international journalists covering the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
The FPA, in a statement, protested "in the strongest terms".
"The international media are not advocacy organizations and cannot be prevented from reporting by means of threats or pressure, thereby denying their readers and viewers an objective picture from the ground," it said.
"In several cases, foreign reporters working in Gaza have been harassed, threatened or questioned over stories or information they have reported through their news media or by means of social media."
Hundreds of foreign journalists travelled to Gaza during more than a month of fighting between Israel and the Hamas, with perhaps 10 percent reporting difficulties from the authorities, FPA said.
Those who experienced threats were reluctant to speak publicly for fear of repercussions.
It said one photographer spoke of being beaten up and having a camera smashed; a news photographer had a camera confiscated for three days and Hamas also asked people to remove tweets and YouTube videos.
A European company was also threatened in the middle of the street when filming an anti-Hamas demonstration.
The FPA said Hamas was also trying to put in place a "vetting" procedure that would, in effect, allow for the blacklisting of specific journalists.
"Such a procedure is vehemently opposed by the FPA," it said.
Several news organizations reported receiving a request Monday from Hamas for the name of journalists, their company, where they are based, their contact details and the name of their translator...
.....
(Excerpt) Read more at israelnationalnews.com ...
Gotta love it -— “harassment”?? How about murder and terrorism???
OH NO! Not the strongly worded protest!
Go to be with badgers, wake up with fleas...
I envision a broad coastal plain , verdant in fields and orchards , with tiny villages supporting the agricultural operations . A beautiful sea breaking on pristine uncrowded beaches . The sound of the wind , the white clouds overheard .
And not a word of Arabic being spoken anywhere to be found .
A Gaza plain completely free and empty of Palestinians . Gone forever .
These militants really know how to court the media.
You’ve really got to hand it to the Foreign Press Association; they are truly stupid beyond belief.
..................
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.