Recorded increase in Israeli attacks on Palestinian journalists

A Palestinian media research centre has reported that the past few days have seen an increase in the number of attacks by Israeli forces against journalists and press freedoms in Palestine.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Palestinian Centre for Development and Media Freedom (MADA) said that the most recent assaults took place on Friday and Saturday. Israeli forces shot Nidal Ishtayeh from Nablus; he’s a photographer who works for China’s Xinhua news agency. Journalist Mohamed Yousry Al-Hattab from Gaza, who works for the Palestinian Network for Media, was also shot by the Israelis.

According to MADA, a series of attacks were also carried out by settlers and security personnel against a number of journalists in Jerusalem and Hawara while they were covering events over the weekend.

Rami Al-Khatib is a reporter for Jordan television’s “An eye on Jerusalem” show. He was injured when settlers attacked him while he was covering a march in the city. According to Al-Khatib, the settlers attacked everyone, including press crews. Although the Israeli police had a presence, they did not intervene, suggesting that they are complicit in such attacks against the media. “They shut down our cameras and used sticks and empty bottles to attack us,” the journalist added.