What Is Prompting Israel’s Actions Against Journalists?

The Gaza conflict has become one of the deadliest conflicts for journalists in recent history. It began on October 7th when Israel declared war on the Palestinian group Hamas, launching airstrikes on the blockaded Gaza Strip.

According to information provided by the Gaza Media Office, the ongoing conflict that commenced on October 7th has led to the heartbreaking demise of around 100 journalists and media professionals. Furthermore, as per the United Nations, more than 22,000 innocent civilians have perished, and an astonishing 1.9 million individuals have been displaced due to the profound impact of this devastating conflict.

According to an October 27th report from Reuters, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) communicated to Reuters and Agence France Press news agencies that they were unable to offer assurances regarding the safety of their journalists operating in the Gaza Strip. This response followed the agencies’ inquiries seeking guarantees that their journalists would not be exposed to Israeli airstrikes.

The latest casualty is Hamza Al Dahdouh, a Palestinian journalist employed as a camera operator for Al-Jazeera and the son of Al-Jazeera Gaza bureau chief Wael Al Dahdouh. He tragically lost his life in an Israeli drone strike. This incident also resulted in the death of freelance journalist Mustafa Thuraya. Both reporters were en route to their assignment in southern Gaza when the drone strike took place, as reported by Al-Jazeera Arabic and confirmed by the BBC.

We are observing grave violations of international law during this conflict. Deliberate targeting of civilians and journalists by the Israeli forces has given rise to serious concerns regarding the humanitarian and journalistic aspects of the ongoing crisis.

Reporters Without Borders has recently lodged a formal complaint with the International Criminal Court, claiming that Israel has perpetrated war crimes against journalists covering the Palestinian territories’ conflict. Remarkably, this represents the third such complaint that the organization has filed since 2018. Israel has strongly disputed these allegations, contending that the ICC lacks jurisdiction in this matter. Their argument centers on Palestine’s status as a non-independent state, despite its recognition by 138 out of the United Nations’ 193 member nations and its membership in the ICC, a membership Israel does not share.

Certain international media outlets, including CNN, ABC, NBC, the New York Times, and Fox News, have been granted entry into Gaza but are subject to specific conditions. To access Gaza, they must be accompanied by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and adhere to specific regulations. Additionally, they are restricted from independent movement within Gaza and are obligated to submit all their materials and footage to the Israeli military for pre-publication review.

Israel Fray, an Israeli journalist, faced a precarious situation when a hostile crowd surrounded his residence due to his expression of sympathy for Gaza’s casualties, prompting him and his family to seek refuge in hiding. Shlomo Karhi, the Israeli Communications Minister, has issued warnings of potential financial penalties against Haaretz and the possible cancellation of state subscriptions to the newspaper.

Critics argue that the Israeli government is suppressing the flow of accurate information from Gaza, transcending matters of debate or perspective. They contend that this suppression impacts the unrestricted dissemination of information, including the increasing casualty figures involving civilians, journalists, and Israeli soldiers.

British Foreign Minister David Cameron expressed concerns about whether Israel “might” have violated international law, given the significant loss of over 20,000 civilian lives, the deaths of hundreds of journalists, and the displacement of more than 1.9 million Gazans.

The Gaza conflict has laid bare the inconsistencies within international law. A closer examination reveals an alternate perspective influenced by the historical backdrop of imperialism, spanning from the European scramble for Africa to U.S. interventions in Latin America. These historical events have played a significant role in shaping the current global landscape.

Now, turning our attention to Ukraine, we see the same international legal framework being employed to protect and seek justice for the Ukrainian people confronted with Russian aggression. When we juxtapose these legal standards and principles with the situation of the Palestinians, it becomes evident that international law is applied selectively, often serving as a political instrument for the interests of influential nations when it aligns with their agendas.

Western powers can no longer assert the supremacy of “international law” with uniform applicability, given their tacit approval of the inhumane assault on Gaza. This calls for a reconsideration of the existing world order and the need for a new system that can ensure justice for all.

R.P.