USA: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu welcomed to Washington despite onslaught of violence against journalists in Gaza
On July 24, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address both houses of the U.S. Congress regarding the war in Gaza and the American-Israeli partnership. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns this invitation to a head of state responsible for the killings of more than 100 journalists in Gaza, and who continues to prevent access to international media to report on the war. RSF urges President Biden and Congressional leaders to press Netanyahu on the steps he will take to end the slaughter of journalists and open media access to Gaza.
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have killed over 100 journalists in Gaza and the wider region. At least 30 of them were killed in the course of their work – an unprecedented death toll for media covering the conflict. The Israeli government has also maintained a media blockade of Gaza, preventing access for both international journalists and vital supplies for Gazan journalists.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s refusal to take any meaningful steps to ensure the safety of journalists in Gaza, and his continued blockade of Israeli, Palestinian and international media from entering Gaza without censorship, constitute heinous violations of international law. His warm welcome to Washington despite the horrific ongoing violence and severe restrictions on reporting on the conflict is unacceptable. At the very minimum, the Biden administration and Congressional leaders must ensure that the message is made clear, that Netanyahu must act now to stop the killings of journalists and allow media into Gaza to do their jobs without delay.
Multiple complaints filed with ICC
Since October 7, 2023, RSF has filed three complaints with the International Criminal Court, the most recent one on May 24, presenting evidence of war crimes committed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) against journalists. These complaints reiterate RSF’s request to the prosecutor to comply with Article 15 of the ICC’s Rome Statute by prioritizing the investigation into the IDF’s crimes against journalists in Gaza.
Lack of media access
Throughout these nine months of conflict, the Israeli government has blocked international media from entering Gaza, except in certain cases under the supervision of the IDF. This also means that Israeli journalists, and Palestinian journalists based outside of Gaza, have been unable to enter the territory to do their jobs freely. This media blockade creates a significant barrier to independent coverage of the war, obstructing the global public’s right to information, especially regarding the treatment of Gazan civilians. The blockade also puts additional strain on Gazan journalists who are risking their lives to report on the war.
Domestically, Israel enacted a law to ban Al Jazeera from operating inside its borders after accusing the Qatari broadcaster of being a “Hamas mouthpiece” and repeatedly describing Al Jazeera’s journalists as “terror operatives” — a move that RSF has condemned as unacceptable. RSF has repeatedly called for the law to be repealed. Although the Biden administration intervened to secure the immediate reversal of a similar decision by Israel to seize The Associated Press’ equipment and block them from broadcasting, U.S. officials have remained largely silent about the ongoing ban on Al Jazeera.
Further, Israeli newspaper Haaretz had its office vandalized and its employees were physically attacked. RSF condemns these growing attempts to intimidate the news outlet for its coverage of the war in Gaza and its criticism of the Israeli government.
Press freedom violations before the war
The Israeli military’s history of violence toward journalists well precedes October 7, 2023. In May 2022, Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh – a dual Palestinian-U.S. national – was shot dead while covering a raid in the West Bank. Since then, despite several independent investigations proving that an Israeli soldier shot the journalist, who was clearly identified as a news professional, this crime has gone unpunished. On May 15, 2021, Israeli forces bombed an office building housing 23 Palestinian and international media organizations.
U.S. government enabling the slaughter of journalists
The U.S. continues to support Israel’s war effort, including through direct military aid, with no conditions tied to human rights. U.S. officials, including President Biden, must make it clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that future American support for Israel’s military will hinge on upholding its obligations under international humanitarian law, including ensuring the protection of journalists and securing justice for the crimes against journalists committed to date. Failure to do so only serves to implicate the White House and Congress in this unprecedentedly deadly conflict for independent media.
RSF has joined the Committee to Protect Journalists and six other press freedom and human rights organizations in submitting joint letters to the White House and Congressional leaders calling for specific measures to address this unprecedented violence against journalists and to allow international media into Gaza to do their jobs without delay. The full letters are available for download below.
