Two United Nations experts have condemned the Israeli occupation forces for their continued “attacks and harassment” of Palestinian journalists in the occupied West Bank.
The experts highlighted recent incidents where journalists, clearly identified by their “PRESS” vests, were targeted with live ammunition during military operations.
Irene Khan, UN special rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and Francesca Albanese, UN special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, expressed deep concern over the violence aimed at preventing independent reporting. They denounced these acts as deliberate attempts to obstruct media coverage of potential human rights violations.
The experts pointed to at least three cases in September where Israeli forces allegedly fired live rounds at journalists in Jenin and Tulkarm, resulting in injuries to at least four journalists. The attacks occurred while the journalists were covering military operations and documenting civilian casualties.
They called for an immediate end to the targeting of media workers in the region and urged the international community to take action to protect the rights of journalists reporting from conflict zones.