Palestine: CFWIJ stands in solidarity with Christine Rinawi and condemns the persistent harassment against her

June 12, 2021- Christine Rinawi of Palestine TV continues to face harassment and persecution by Israeli forces and official authorities against practicing journalism. The one-year closure ban on Palestine TV in East Jerusalem that was extended in November 2020, has been extended again for six more months. Christine had resigned from Palestine TV after continuous harassment and intimidation into her work. Christine shared the news on her Facebook account stating that the newest occupation has come in the form of another extension in the ban against Palestine TV, along with the threats and investigations against media houses and a number of journalists. CFWIJ stands in solidarity with Christine as she has been reporting non-stop on the ground in Sheikh Jarrah. CFWIJ demands Palestinian authorities to let Christine continue her journalistic activities without causing impediment. 

Christine was recently harassed by Israeli forces and they surrounded her and forced her to leave the spot as she was trying to cover the ground situation at a protest. Christine shared the video on her Facebook account and said, “a whole battalion to take me out of Sheikh Jarrah ??? Why is this occupation afraid of voices and pictures !!! They did not arrest me but unfortunately, they assaulted Givara Budeiri and her crew and then arrested her. They pushed me and my colleagues Yasmine Asaad, Ahmad Al-Safadi, and others out of the neighbourhood by using force.

The journalist condemned the latest extension in the ban on Palestine TV. She shared that it is crazy to go after journalists and media workers in the age of social media. She added that dictatorship is being practiced in the name of democracy and any person can record his voice or any image from a mobile phone in the age of social media from anywhere. On November 2, 2020, Israeli intelligence summoned Christine and was interrogated, reportedly for violating the Interior Ministry’s instructions on not to report from Jerusalem.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism has been documenting the crisis against freedom of the press in detail. We have formulated a detailed report citing all the major violations against women journalists reporting from Gaza. CFWIJ highly condemns the persistent harassment against Christine. We applaud her for standing tall and in the face of terror and harassment and pursuing journalism fearlessly.