Israeli Court Backs Limited Foreign Press Entry into Gaza

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

TEL AVIV, Israel
– On December 31, Israel’s High Court of Justice ruled that Israel has until 10:00am Thursday to facilitate limited entry of foreign journalists into Gaza.  According to the Jerusalem Post, the ruling would allow a pool of up to 12 foreign journalists into Gaza, but only when the border is already open for humanitarian shipments. 

The Jerusalem Post characterizes the ruling as a recommendation and stated that the three-justice panel gave the government until Thursday morning to respond and the petitioners will have until noon Thursday to respond to the government’s position.

The ruling is a response to a petition filed by the Tel Aviv-based Foreign Press Association (FPA) on November 24.  FPA filed the petition following Israel’s ban of foreign journalists entering Gaza, which was imposed two months ago.  After the petition was initially filed, Israel temporarily opened the border for journalists on December 4.  However, when Operation Cast Lead began on December 27, a complete ban was re-imposed.

FPA Chairman Steven Gutkin, also the Jerusalem bureau chief for the Associated Press, cautiously welcomed the decision.  He said, “Anything that the court does that furthers our goal of ensuring free access to the Gaza Strip for the international media we view as positive.”  However, Gutkin added, “We note that the court ruling is limited in scope and we hope that the court will view positively our other wider position as well.”

Hila Gorni, an attorney for the Israeli government, said that the opening and closing of the border for the foreign press presented a security risk.  “Security “ reasons were also cited by the Defense Ministry when it closed the Erez crossing to all foreign journalists last month as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began to collapse.

In addition, Government Press Office Director Danny Seaman voiced concerns that Hamas will exploit foreign journalists as, he claims, that Islamic groups have done in the past.  Seaman said, “Based on our experience from the war in Lebanon and the way the foreign press has conducted itself in Gaza, we know that Hamas is in complete control of the news, and that reports from Gaza are carried out under duress.”

According to the Jerusalem Post, the Court will decide how to proceed following responses from both the Israeli government and the FPA.  The decision represents a limited resolution and the broader lawsuit asking for full media access to Gaza is still pending.

For more information, please see:

Jerusalem Post – Courts Backs Limited Foreign Press Entry to Gaza – 31 December 2008

Jewish Telegraphic Agency – Court: Let Reporters into Gaza – 31 December 2008

Kazakhstan News – Israel High Court Overturns Ban on Foreign Journalists Entering Gaza – 31 December 2008 

The Guardian – Foreign Journalists Demand Gaza Access – 30 December 2008

International Herald Tribune – Foreign Journalists Asks Court for Access to Gaza – 28 December 2008

Author: Impunity Watch Archive