Netanyahu's government
is its most extremist ever. Fundamental freedoms are threatened.
Repressive Knesset bills target speech, assembly, association, and the
right to dissent.
An earlier Haaretz editorial headlined "Free press in Israel is in danger."
It said Israeli democracy has been imperiled for years.
Netanyahu's government assails it relentlessly. Knesset legislation
threatens press freedom. Dissent more than ever isn't tolerated.
On June 20, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI)headlined
"The Case of Muhammad Amirah and the Criminalization of Protest in the
West Bank," saying:
Despite committing no crime, "Amirah was charged with incitement and
support for a hostile organization and disturbing a soldier."
During a nonviolent protest near Deir Kaddis village, he was arrested
for sitting down in front of a tractor. At issue was stopping illegal
settlement expansions on stolen Palestinian land.
Charges against him exclude violence. He's "an important example of
the criminalization of all political activity by Palestinians in the
West Bank...."
They face Kafkaesque justice. Military orders govern virtually every
facet of their lives. Anything Israel wishes can be called hostile or
terrorist related. Free speech is an endangered species.
Participating in public demonstrations is deemed disrupting public order.
Pouring coffee for members of declared illegal organizations is called
supporting terrorism.
Military regulations criminalize displaying Palestinian flags, banners,
or symbols. So is criticizing state policy. Anyone charged is judged
guilty by accusation. Conviction is virtually certain.
"Amirah’s case exemplifies the extent to which ALL protest action
including explicitly nonviolent actions are criminalized within the
Israeli system in the West Bank."
"Amirah was sitting on the ground in front of a tractor repeating the
phrase 'I am not engaging in violence, I will not commit a violent deed'
and was still arrested and charged."
His case also reflects the ambiguity of the term "legal demonstration."
Israel considers all nonviolent ones illegal. Prison terms can follow
participation.
On June 28, the Palestinian Center for Development & Media Freedoms
(MADA) said Palestinian journalists face losing media freedoms.
Frank La Rue serves as UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection
of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. His recent report
highlights the problem.
"States continue to utilize criminal laws on defamation, national security
and counterterrorism to suppress dissent and criticism, including on
Government policies, human rights violations and allegations of corruption,"
he said.
MADA Director General Mousa Rimawi paid tribute to Palestinian journalists
who won't be silent. Despite risking freedom and safety, they keep working.
"(L)ocal journalists in violent or repressed environments deserve special
recognition because they can experience the same violations as foreign
journalists in conflict zones, but may not receive the same international
attention," he said.
"Sadly many Palestinian journalists are threatened, injured or arrested
while simply doing their jobs and many journalists feel pressured to
self-censor."
"(J)ournalists around the world continue to be targeted and repressed,
including those using the Internet to publish stories."
"MADA will continue to support and encourage Palestinian journalists
in their work, and to fight for freedom of expression in Palestine."
Since occupation began in June 1967, Israel pursued a policy of silencing
Palestinian dissent. Journalists and media institutions suffer grievously.
In the last decade, Israeli occupation forces murdered 18 Palestinian
journalists and two foreign ones.
On Nakba Day 2011, Mohammed Othman was shot. He was photographing Israeli
soldiers brutalizing nonviolent Palestinian demonstrators. He worked
for Reuters and AFP.
He witnessed dozens of injured Palestinians. "It was bloody and got
worse after live ammunition was used," he said.
An Israeli soldier shot him. The bullet entered his chest and "exploded"
inside. It destroyed two discs and injured his spinal cord. As a result,
he's paralyzed. He always expected something like this to happen, he
said. He witnessed other journalists being shot.
His colleagues expressed solidarity. They know they could be next. Othman
said he wants to do what he loves best. Nothing ahead will be easy for
him.
MADA's Rimawi said Israel targets more than journalists. Palestinian
media institutions are threatened. Raids confiscate their equipment.
Their property and facilities are destroyed. They incur large financial
losses. Some are shut down entirely.
Israel at times bombs Palestinian and international media facilities.
Homes of journalists are demolished. During Cast Lead, Gaza's Aqsa TV
was totally destroyed. Program director Aqsa Samir Abu Muheisen said:
"The material losses (were) estimated at six million dollars, five million
for the price of the equipment and furniture, and one million for the
cost of the five-floor headquarter building."
The Alresalah weekly newspaper was targeted. It's headquarters was bombed.
It sustained heavy damage. Earlier in January 2002, Israel blew up the
headquarters of Palestinian State Radio and Television in Ramalah.
In 2012, occupation forces stormed the headquarters of four West Bank
media outlets.
On February 29, Watan TV was targeted. Equipment and valued archives
were confiscated. Its director, Muammar Orabi said:
"The material losses, in spite of its large value and its impact on
the institution’s work, can be compensated, but the archives are priceless."
"In 2002, the occupation forces confiscated all the television station’s
productions since its beginning in 1996, and now they have again confiscated
all our archives from 2002 until the date of intrusion."
On the same day, Quds Educational TV was raided. Its equipment and valued
material were taken.
In recent months, other incidents occurred. On April 2, soldiers raided
Hona Al-Quds' Jerusalem office. On May 17, they confiscated Jenin-based
Al-Aseer channel's main transmitter.
Back-up equipment was used to keep broadcasting. Palestinian media are
monitored and targeted for challenging Israeli authority. An Al Quds
University community center was raided.
Anyone or activity considered hostile to occupation authority is threatened.
Palestinian journalists and media outlets are especially vulnerable.
Silencing dissent is official Israeli policy. All ways are used to do
it.
MADA said "(b)y confiscating broadcasting equipment, Israeli occupation
authorities effectively seize the digital space and frequencies of Palestinian
radio and TV stations. In essence, they occupy the airwaves."
In 2000, Radio Bethlehem was targeted. Twice their transmitter was seized.
According to Director of Government Media Center's Ghassan Al-Khatib:
"This is part of targeting the Palestinian effort to build a state.
The occupation’s continuous targeting of media outlets in Palestine
has many reasons, chief among them being that Israel is in a permanent
media war with the Palestinians."
"Israel seeks to reduce the impact of the Palestinian media on public
opinion and the Palestinian voice internationally and instead impose
the Israeli narrative over what is happening in Palestine."
"Recently, Israel has been doing this for economic and technical reasons.
Some analysts have concluded that Israel wants to retrieve certain frequencies
that are economically useful to them. They want to occupy the digital
space."
In May 2012, Al-Aseer channel's general director Baha Khairi Mousa was
arrested. His home was ransacked and searched. He was taken to an unknown
location. Satellite transmitter equipment was confiscated. Broadcasts
continued with back-up resources.
During Cast Lead, Al-Jawharah's facilities were bombed. Various channels
use them for live TV broadcasts. Media Group chairman Atef Isa said
bombardment came during Al-A'lam Iranian TV's live broadcast.
At the time, 20 journalists were on the roof. Israel was told the building
is used for live broadcasts. Assurances were given it wouldn't be bombed.
Israeli pledges aren't worth the paper they're written on. Verbal ones
have no credibility.
Abu Dhabi TV's office was shelled. Heavy damage was sustained. It provides
media services for other Arab television channels and outlets.
Nablus' Afaq television was raided and closed. Its equipment and furniture
were confiscated. It was targeted earlier.
Palestinian media operations are constantly threatened with shut down.
East Jerusalem's Radio FM was closed. Its equipment was seized. Seven
of its employees were arrested. Israel falsely claimed it was unlicensed.
Its the only Palestinian English radio operation.
Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:
"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right
includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek,
receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless
of frontiers."
In 1946, General Assembly Resolution 59(I) titled "Calling of an International
Conference on the Freedom of Information" designated media freedom as
a fundamental human right and cornerstone of all freedoms.
In 1989, UNESCO's Article 1.2(a) reiterated its stipulation "to collaborate
in the work of advancing the mutual knowledge and understanding of people
through all means of mass communication (and) to promote the free flow
of ideas by word and image."
Many other international laws and conventions protect media and speech
freedoms. Israel spurns them.
Speaking, writing, or demonstrating freely subjects Palestinians to
repressive crackdowns. Israel tolerates no dissent.
Israeli Arabs also face harsh treatment. Even Jews aren't safe. Challenging
Israeli lawlessness endangers them.
Palestinians have no rights whatever. Israeli democracy is more illusion
than real. Freedoms are eroding on the way to ending them altogether.
Americans face the same threat. Neither country is fit to live in. Many
residents understand and leave.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book is titled "How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized
Banking, Government Collusion and Class War"
http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge
discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News
Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time
and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy
listening.
http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour
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