Reporters Without Borders

Offices of Gaza weekly ransacked

4 February 2004


RSF has demanded a prompt and full investigation after the Gaza City offices of the weekly newspaper “Al-Daar” were ransacked during the Muslim Eid festival, between 1 and 3 February 2004. “The Palestinian Authority should act decisively to prevent attacks against journalists and the media in the territories under its control,” the organisation said in a letter to Palestinian Interior Minister Hakam Balaawi. Al-Daar editor-in-chief Hassan Al-Kachef said the offices had been ransacked and computers were damaged but nothing was stolen, which ruled out a normal burglary. 

Israel's secret service becomes press card authority

5 November 2003


RSF has expressed alarm over new rules for accrediting journalists that are expected to be introduced shortly in Israel. Under the new rules, journalists will have to be cleared by the Shin Bet state security service. RSF described the new rules as a serious threat to press freedom and a flagrant violation of journalists’ rights, and called for their cancellation. The new rules, which are to take effect on 1 January 2004, apply to all journalists working in Israel, including foreign, Palestinian and Israeli journalists. 

Media watchdog slams US, Israel

20 October 2003


Reporters Without Borders, a top media watchdog, has accused Israel and the United States of unacceptable behaviour towards journalists in occupied Palestine and Iraq. RSF said on Monday the US had caused the deaths of five journalists in Iraq. And it said the Israeli army was guilty of injuring and threatening journalists in the West Bank and Gaza. The Israeli army’s repeated abuses against journalists in the occupied territories constitute unacceptable behaviour by two nations that never stop stressing their commitment to freedom of expression. 

Report criticises botched Israeli army investigations, lack of follow-up, in deaths of two journalists in Occupied Territories

30 July 2003

In a report issued today on the Israeli army’s enquiries into the fatal shootings of two journalists in the Occupied Territories in April and May, Reporters Without Borders accuses the military of acting with a flagrant lack of rigour and determination and calls for proper investigations that could lead to the prosecution and punishment of those responsible. 

Government retaliates against BBC, accuses it of demonizing Israel

3 July 2003


Reporters Without Borders today condemned the Israeli government for announcing on 1 July that is cutting all links with the BBC, Britain’s state-owned TV and radio broadcaster, on the grounds that it “systematically demonizes” Israel and carries reports “verging on antisemitism.” Describing the accusations against the BBC as “disgraceful and pathetic,” Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Ménard said the Israeli government “has trouble accepting the editorial freedom of certain news media when it doesn’t serve its interests.” 

Two Palestinian journalists beaten up by Israeli soldiers

Reporters Without Borders 21 May 2003

On 20 May 2003, RSF voiced its outrage over the violent beating which two clearly identified Palestinian journalists received from Israeli soldiers in Bethlehem. The incident took place during the night of 19 to 20 May. One of the journalists sustained an injury to his right hand that will prevent him from working for some time. 

Autopsy suggests British cameraman James Miller was shot by Israeli army gunfire

Reporters Without Borders 17 May 2003

On 8 May 2003, RSF called for the punishment of those responsible for the death of British freelance cameraman James Miller on 2 May. An autopsy revealed that the the only bullet to hit him entered his body from the front. The journalist was killed as he was filming troops in the Gaza Strip. 

Israeli army asked about enquiry into killing of journalist

Reporters Without Borders 28 April 2003

Reporters Without Borders’ secretary-general, Robert Ménard, welcomed the army’s “competence and goodwill ” in announcing at once that an enquiry would be made into the 19 April death of the journalist, Nazeh Darwazeh, in the centre of Nablus and said a Reporters Without Borders representative would go to Israel next month to see how the investigation was going.