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 Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 4:09 am Post subject: [ot] Israel Bans International Media from Gaza |
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http://www.metimes.com/International/2008/11/19/israel_bans_international_media_from_gaza_arrests_human_rights_activists/6228/
Israel Bans International Media from Gaza, Arrests Human Rights Activists
By CHERRIE HEYWOOD (Middle East Times)
Published: November 19, 2008
HUMILIATION AT SEA -- Three Israeli naval vessels surrounded three
Palestinian fishing boats Nov. 18 and directed 15 Palestinian fishermen to
strip naked and swim in the icy winter waters toward the naval vessels. They
were then taken in for interrogation. Photo shows Palestinian fishermen work
on their boats in the port off Gaza City on Nov. 8. (MaanImages via Newscom)
GAZA CITY, Gaza -- Israel has banned foreign journalists from entering Gaza
to cover the deteriorating humanitarian situation there as the country 's
complete closure of the territory enters a third week.
Several groups of European parliamentarians were banned last week from
passing through Israel's Erez border crossing into Gaza to assess the
situation on the ground and to hold meetings with Hamas leaders.
Three international human rights activists were also forcibly arrested, by
the Israeli navy, from Palestinian fishing vessels in Gaza's waters.
AP head, and Israeli Foreign Press Association chairman, Steven Gutkin said
journalists had called him complaining of being refused entry since last
week.
Since then, he said, the association had appealed to the government to allow
access, with no success.
"We consider it a serious problem for freedom of the press. We think that
journalists have to be placed in a special category. A blanket ban on people
going into Gaza should not apply to journalists," Gutkin added.
"We are hoping that this is not the start of a policy of banning journalists
from Gaza. We would like to point out that when times are tough, and when
things heat up, it is important for journalists to be able to enter."
A BBC media crew was also refused entry last week.
Conny Mus, a reporter from the Dutch television station RTL was told
telephonically by Israeli military officials that he and his crew would be
able to enter Gaza.
However, upon arrival they were kept waiting for five hours and then
eventually informed they would not be able to cross over.
"They put our names on a list and we waited for five hours at the border,"
said Mus. Only then was their request denied.
Although journalists have been barred from entering Gaza in the past, this
has normally been for limited periods only, not the current lengthy and
complete blackout.
The Israeli foreign ministry said no order had been issued to prevent
journalists from going to Gaza.
"There is no decision not to allow journalists in," said Peter Lerner, the
spokesman for the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories.
Israel closed all of Gaza's borders on Nov. 4. This followed a cross-border
military raid into the Gaza strip by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to
allegedly destroy a tunnel which the IDF said was meant to smuggle Israeli
soldiers.
However, hundreds of underground tunnels connecting Egypt's Sinai Peninsula
with the Gaza strip have been in place for over a year.
These are used to smuggle in everyday necessities which Gazans rely on for
their survival due to Israel's hermetic closure of the territory. Weapons are
also smuggled in.
Following Israel's military incursion into Gaza, Palestinian resistance
organizations launched a salvo of rockets into Israel.
In the ensuing Israeli attacks and Palestinian counter-attacks 20
Palestinians were killed while two Israelis were lightly injured.
Israel has also stopped most international aid from entering Gaza causing an
unprecedented humanitarian crisis with the U.N. Relief and Welfare Agency
(UNRWA)'s warehouses running out of food.
Half of Gaza's population of 1.5 million is dependent on emergency rations
from UNRWA for survival.
Gaza's main power plant was also forced to close on Thursday after Israel
refused to allow any fuel in. Seventy percent of Gazans experienced
electricity blackouts.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, alarmed at the severest restrictions
imposed on aid getting into Gaza in its history, called incumbent Israeli
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and asked him to reverse the restrictions.
Meanwhile, three human rights activists from Italy, Britain and the United
States were arrested by the Israeli navy as they accompanied Gazan fishermen
off Gaza's coast. They were nowhere near Israel's territorial waters.
Under the Oslo Accords of 1994 Gazan fishermen were permitted to go 20
kilometers out to sea to fish. Forty thousand Gazan fishermen and their
dependents rely on these fisherman being able to earn a livelihood from
Gaza's coast.
Following Hamas' takeover of the territory in June of last year Israel
limited this distance to six kilometers and has enforced it rigorously.
Those who risk going further out are regularly shot at and arrested with a
number being killed in the past. Their boats are often destroyed and many
have been forced out of business.
The desperate fishermen have been forced to play a game of Russian Roulette
in an attempt to earn a livelihood as many of the larger shoals of fish on
which they are dependent are found beyond the six kilometer limit.
The activists had accompanied the fishermen on several fishing expeditions in
a bid to provide some international protection.
Hitherto, the Israeli navy shot high pressure water cannons at the fishing
boats causing damage and several injuries.
Machine gun fire was also sprayed around the boats in an attempt to
intimidate them.
But following three successful voyages by siege-breaking vessels from Cyprus,
defying the Israeli navy and carrying European parliamentarians, journalists
and human rights activists, the Israelis decided to crack down.
After three Israeli naval vessels surrounded the three fishing boats on
Tuesday, 15 Palestinian fishermen were forced to strip naked and swim in the
icy winter waters toward the naval vessels and were then taken in for
interrogation.
The internationals were taken to Ben-Gurion airport where they are expected
to be deported.
Copyright © 2008 News World Communications Inc. |
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Dennis M Reed \"Califa\"
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 8:37 am Post subject: Re: [ot] Israel Bans International Media from Gaza |
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forced to swim naked! sure is better than beheadings!
"Ø" <Ø@set.null> wrote in message
news:Xns9B5B8FFCB427Ec54s0l1@140.99.99.130...
| Quote: | http://www.metimes.com/International/2008/11/19/israel_bans_international_media_from_gaza_arrests_human_rights_activists/6228/
Israel Bans International Media from Gaza, Arrests Human Rights Activists
By CHERRIE HEYWOOD (Middle East Times)
Published: November 19, 2008
HUMILIATION AT SEA -- Three Israeli naval vessels surrounded three
Palestinian fishing boats Nov. 18 and directed 15 Palestinian fishermen to
strip naked and swim in the icy winter waters toward the naval vessels.
They
were then taken in for interrogation. Photo shows Palestinian fishermen
work
on their boats in the port off Gaza City on Nov. 8. (MaanImages via
Newscom)
GAZA CITY, Gaza -- Israel has banned foreign journalists from entering
Gaza
to cover the deteriorating humanitarian situation there as the country 's
complete closure of the territory enters a third week.
Several groups of European parliamentarians were banned last week from
passing through Israel's Erez border crossing into Gaza to assess the
situation on the ground and to hold meetings with Hamas leaders.
Three international human rights activists were also forcibly arrested, by
the Israeli navy, from Palestinian fishing vessels in Gaza's waters.
AP head, and Israeli Foreign Press Association chairman, Steven Gutkin
said
journalists had called him complaining of being refused entry since last
week.
Since then, he said, the association had appealed to the government to
allow
access, with no success.
"We consider it a serious problem for freedom of the press. We think that
journalists have to be placed in a special category. A blanket ban on
people
going into Gaza should not apply to journalists," Gutkin added.
"We are hoping that this is not the start of a policy of banning
journalists
from Gaza. We would like to point out that when times are tough, and when
things heat up, it is important for journalists to be able to enter."
A BBC media crew was also refused entry last week.
Conny Mus, a reporter from the Dutch television station RTL was told
telephonically by Israeli military officials that he and his crew would be
able to enter Gaza.
However, upon arrival they were kept waiting for five hours and then
eventually informed they would not be able to cross over.
"They put our names on a list and we waited for five hours at the border,"
said Mus. Only then was their request denied.
Although journalists have been barred from entering Gaza in the past, this
has normally been for limited periods only, not the current lengthy and
complete blackout.
The Israeli foreign ministry said no order had been issued to prevent
journalists from going to Gaza.
"There is no decision not to allow journalists in," said Peter Lerner, the
spokesman for the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories.
Israel closed all of Gaza's borders on Nov. 4. This followed a
cross-border
military raid into the Gaza strip by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to
allegedly destroy a tunnel which the IDF said was meant to smuggle Israeli
soldiers.
However, hundreds of underground tunnels connecting Egypt's Sinai
Peninsula
with the Gaza strip have been in place for over a year.
These are used to smuggle in everyday necessities which Gazans rely on for
their survival due to Israel's hermetic closure of the territory. Weapons
are
also smuggled in.
Following Israel's military incursion into Gaza, Palestinian resistance
organizations launched a salvo of rockets into Israel.
In the ensuing Israeli attacks and Palestinian counter-attacks 20
Palestinians were killed while two Israelis were lightly injured.
Israel has also stopped most international aid from entering Gaza causing
an
unprecedented humanitarian crisis with the U.N. Relief and Welfare Agency
(UNRWA)'s warehouses running out of food.
Half of Gaza's population of 1.5 million is dependent on emergency rations
from UNRWA for survival.
Gaza's main power plant was also forced to close on Thursday after Israel
refused to allow any fuel in. Seventy percent of Gazans experienced
electricity blackouts.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, alarmed at the severest restrictions
imposed on aid getting into Gaza in its history, called incumbent Israeli
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and asked him to reverse the restrictions.
Meanwhile, three human rights activists from Italy, Britain and the United
States were arrested by the Israeli navy as they accompanied Gazan
fishermen
off Gaza's coast. They were nowhere near Israel's territorial waters.
Under the Oslo Accords of 1994 Gazan fishermen were permitted to go 20
kilometers out to sea to fish. Forty thousand Gazan fishermen and their
dependents rely on these fisherman being able to earn a livelihood from
Gaza's coast.
Following Hamas' takeover of the territory in June of last year Israel
limited this distance to six kilometers and has enforced it rigorously.
Those who risk going further out are regularly shot at and arrested with a
number being killed in the past. Their boats are often destroyed and many
have been forced out of business.
The desperate fishermen have been forced to play a game of Russian
Roulette
in an attempt to earn a livelihood as many of the larger shoals of fish on
which they are dependent are found beyond the six kilometer limit.
The activists had accompanied the fishermen on several fishing expeditions
in
a bid to provide some international protection.
Hitherto, the Israeli navy shot high pressure water cannons at the fishing
boats causing damage and several injuries.
Machine gun fire was also sprayed around the boats in an attempt to
intimidate them.
But following three successful voyages by siege-breaking vessels from
Cyprus,
defying the Israeli navy and carrying European parliamentarians,
journalists
and human rights activists, the Israelis decided to crack down.
After three Israeli naval vessels surrounded the three fishing boats on
Tuesday, 15 Palestinian fishermen were forced to strip naked and swim in
the
icy winter waters toward the naval vessels and were then taken in for
interrogation.
The internationals were taken to Ben-Gurion airport where they are
expected
to be deported.
Copyright © 2008 News World Communications Inc.
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