UN Experts Condemn Escalated Violence Against Journalists in Occupied West Bank Amid Israeli Offensive

Since October 2023, Israeli forces have detained at least 29 journalists in the occupied West Bank, with three detained by the Palestinian Authority.

UN experts have strongly condemned the recent surge in violence, harassment, and intimidation against journalists in the occupied West Bank, which has intensified since Israel launched a sudden military offensive on August 27.

“We strongly denounce the attacks and harassment of journalists in the illegally occupied West Bank, which are nothing but crude attempts by the Israeli army to block independent reporting on potential war crimes,” the experts stated.

In September alone, at least three incidents have been reported in Jenin and Tulkarm, where Israeli security forces fired live ammunition at journalists or their vehicles while they were covering military operations and civilian casualties. Four journalists were injured, despite several wearing clearly marked press jackets.

Since the start of the military offensive, journalists, including a team from Al Jazeera, have faced severe restrictions on their work. They were forced to leave areas under threat from the Israeli military, with some journalists being compelled to delete material from their personal phones. At least one journalist has been arbitrarily arrested and interrogated, while others reported being chased by bulldozers operated by Israeli security forces.

“It is deeply disturbing to see Israeli soldiers in the West Bank replicating the same disregard for journalist safety seen in Gaza, in blatant violation of international law,” the experts added. They expressed concern over the lack of foreign media access to Gaza and the increasing threats to journalist safety in the West Bank.

Since October 2023, Israeli forces have detained at least 29 journalists in the occupied West Bank, with three detained by the Palestinian Authority. Reports of ill-treatment, including sexual and gender-based violence, during detention have been documented.

“Detention of journalists, along with reports of torture and ill-treatment, raises serious concerns regarding the punitive nature of such deprivation of liberty and the right of journalists to report on the situation,” the experts said.

The experts highlighted that no cases of journalists killed, injured, or harassed in the occupied Palestinian Territory have been transparently investigated by Israeli authorities. The unresolved killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akhleh in 2022 remains a stark example of this lack of accountability.

“As long as Israel remains an occupying power, it is obligated to respect the work of journalists and media workers in the occupied Palestinian Territory and ensure their safety, in accordance with international humanitarian and human rights law,” the experts emphasized.

They urged the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court to consider the widespread and systematic attacks on journalists as part of their ongoing investigations. The experts also called for the international community to pay greater attention to the situation in the West Bank and strongly denounce Israel’s actions.

“The genocide in Gaza has overshadowed the plight of journalists in the West Bank, but this recent escalation underscores the need for urgent international action,” the experts concluded.