WarSclerotic

Foreign Press Association blasts Hamas for threatening journalists. Jerusalem Post, Lahov Harkov, August 11, 2014

(It’s a good first step. If Hamas ceases threatening journalists, how many will begin to cover Hamas’ use of human shields;  how many have sufficiently strong ideological preferences for Hamas to prevent them from doing so?– DM)

Hamas has threatened to punish journalists who record Hamas firing rockets.

NDTV report of Palestinians assembling rockets in Gaza. Photo: YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT

Hamas is using threats and pressure to prevent journalists from providing objective reports, the Foreign Press Association in Israel and Palestine said in a statement Monday.

The organization said it “protests in the strongest the blatant, incessant, forceful and unorthodox methods employed by the Hamas authorities and their representatives against visiting international journalists in Gaza over the past month.”

“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,” the FPA added. According to the FPA, several members of the foreign media in Gaza were harassed, threatened or questioned about stories they reported.

In addition, the FPA vehemently opposes “a ‘vetting’ procedure that would, in effect, allow for the blacklisting of specific journalists,” which Hamas is trying to put into place.

On Sunday, Paul T. Jørgensen of Norway’s TV2 reported that “several foreign journalists have been kicked out of Gaza because Hamas does not like what they wrote or said.

“We have received strict orders that if we record that Hamas fires rockets or that they shoot, we will face serious problems and be expelled from Gaza,” Jørgensen added.

Also Sunday, Hamas said it will require foreign journalists covering Gaza to provide information about Palestinian translators and fixers, as well as the address where they are staying.

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