8 December 2008

Alert

Foreign journalists allowed entry to Gaza Strip for the first time in a month


Incident details

journalist(s)

other
(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders is pleased to learn that the Israeli defence ministry began allowing foreign journalists to enter the Gaza Strip again on 4 December 2008. The press freedom organisation wrote to Defence Minister Ehud Barak on 19 November asking him to lift the ban that had been in forced since 5 November.

Defence Ministry Spokesman Peter Lerner nonetheless said the decision to let journalists enter the Gaza Strip by several border crossings would be reviewed on a day by day basis.

"The freedom of movement of journalists must be guaranteed at all times," Reporters Without Borders said. "The Israeli authorities should not be in a position to choose what the press can or cannot cover."

The Tel Aviv-based Foreign Press Association has been very critical of the ban and filed an appeal to the Israeli supreme court on 24 November.

Updates situation of journalists in Gaza Strip: http://www.ifex.org/s/content/view/full/98701



Source:

Reporters Without Borders
47, rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
France
rsf (@) rsf.org
Phone: +33 1 44 83 84 84
Fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51
 

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