Israel: Far right Jewish groups threaten the safety of journalists in the region. CFWIJ registers its concern

June 12, 2021, Tel Aviv - Journalists working in both Israel and Palestine have received online threats and endured physical attacks by far-right Jewish groups. This has raised anxiety regarding the freedom of press in the region. As a result, one news outlet also amped up security for its journalist crews after hostility they were forced to face in the online media landscape.

Four on-air reporters for news channel N12, Dana Weiss, Guy Peleg, Yonit Levi and Rina Mazliah, were provided security details by their employer organization after receiving exceedingly violent threats online. In fact, law enforcement agencies have also arrested a suspect in the case of Dana Weiss. The hostility is not just restricted to online spaces however. Several journalists endured physical attacks by right-wing mobs who had gathered to target Israeli citizens of Palestinian origins in the streets of Tel Aviv and Lod. Far right group, La Familia, assaulted journalists with rocks at the time, including journalist and tv presenter Ayala Hasson. 

This rise in hostility towards the press comes after the Israeli state purposely targeted journalists who were covering the bombardment of Gaza and the tensions in the region. Several journalists were arrested and physically and sexually assaulted by law enforcement agencies, while buildings of well-established, international news organizations were bombed down by the Israeli military. 

On May 10, At least 10 journalists, two of whom were women, were injured while covering the attack on the Al-Aqsa mosque by Israeli forces.. Soon afterwards, on May 19, Israeli bombardment of the offices of "Filastiniat" and its affiliated news agency "Nawa" resulted in civilian casualties. On the same day, Palestinian photojournalists Latifeh Abdellatif was physically assaulted by armed Israeli officers in East Jeruasalem while on the field. Offices of international news organizations like Al-Jazeera and Associated Press were also bombed down by the Israeli military. On May 27, in Sheikh Jarrah, journalists Wahbi Makiya and Zeina Al-Halawani were assaulted and arrested by Israeli law enforcement agencies. Similarly on June 6, journalists Givara Budeiri,  Najwan al-Sumari and Bara'a Abu Romouz were assaulted by Israeli armed forces while covering the events unfolding in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. On June 11, freelance journalist, Stephanie Glinski reported sexual harassment by a police officer as she was covering a protest in Gaza. 

The indiscriminate bombing has also resulted in personal losses for journalists stationed in Gaza. Reema Saad, a freelance journalist, was murdered in her apartment alongside her family when Israeli forces attacked civilian residences in the city of Gaza. And photojournalist Samar Abu Elouf was forced to evacuate with her family after an Israeli missile struck her neighbourhood. 

The actions of far-right groups like La Familia are only spurred on when states themselves target the journalist community doing their jobs. The Coalitions For Women In Journalist condemns the constant attack that the journalists in the region are facing and urges the global community to pay attention to the civil rights violations taking place in the region, by state and non-state actors alike.