The Real Reason Palestinians Do Not Have a Free Media

by Bassam Tawil 

• This fierce crackdown on Palestinian journalists, however, is ignored by the mainstream media in the West. When Palestinian journalists are brutally attacked, where is the outrage of foreign journalists? Their outrage seems reserved only for stories that reflect negatively on Israel.
• All three media outlets [The New York Times, The Washington Post and CNN] were obsessed with the case of Abu Akleh because they were trying to implicate Israel, even though there was no conclusive evidence that she had been hit by an Israeli bullet.
• On August 3, a video posted on social media featured Palestinian Authority officers in plainclothes severely beating Palestinian journalist Nidal Al-Natsheh.... His crime: he tried to report about a protest by university students against human rights violations committed by the Palestinian Authority.
• On July 31, Palestinian Authority security officers arrested journalist Sami Al-Sa'i... Al-Sa'i has been arrested a number of times for allegedly criticizing the Palestinian Authority on social media. Because of his repeated incarcerations, he has been unable to find work.... Recently, to support his family, he has been selling juice on the streets of Tulkarem.
• On July 17, Palestinian Authority security forces arrested journalist Akil Awawdeh... Hours before his arrest, Awawdeh had ridiculed the Palestinian security forces' spokesperson for stating the Palestinian Authority does not arrest people because of their political affiliation.
• The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate named a number of other journalists also detained and threatened by Hamas security forces and militiamen: Ehab Fasfous, Fouad Jaradah, Mohammed Abu Awn, and Mohammed Haddad.
• Many in the international community who pretend to be "pro-Palestinian" do not really care about the Palestinians at all, or about the too-many-to-count vicious human rights violations committed against them every day. They only care about one thing: bash Israel.
• These journalists appear so obsessed with reporting on Israel's "crimes" – real or imagined – that, presumably to avoid casting the Palestinians in a bad light, they painstakingly avoid any story that might reflect negatively on the Palestinian Authority or Hamas. By doing that, however, the international community and media are, in reality, doing incalculable harm to the Palestinian people, who are then forced to continue suffering, without a murmur of help from anyone, under the repressive and undemocratic regimes of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.

This fierce crackdown on Palestinian journalists by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas is ignored by the mainstream media in the West. When Palestinian journalists are brutally attacked, where is the outrage of foreign journalists? Their outrage seems reserved only for stories that reflect negatively on Israel. (Images source: iStock)

The past few days have again shown that the Palestinians' two governments – the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas in the Gaza Strip – are doing their utmost to silence and intimidate Palestinian journalists who criticize them or report about their repressive measures and financial corruption. It is no secret that the Palestinians do not have a free media. The media in the West Bank and Gaza Strip is controlled by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.

The Palestinian Authority and Hamas evidently want Palestinian journalists to serve as mouthpieces for their corrupt and undemocratic governments. They do not tolerate any form of criticism. Any Palestinian journalist who does not comply with their wishes is beaten, arrested or thrown out of his or her job. The Palestinian Authority and Hamas apparently want Palestinian journalists only to serve as foot soldiers for the Palestinian government and people.

Continue Reading Article