This week, the Ilam Media Center, sent a letter to the Israeli Security Minister, Moshe Ya’alon demanding the easement of movement of Palestinian journalists in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and at the West Bank checkpoints accessing the Green Line, thus contributing to the facilitation of their work in covering current events on the ground.

 

Ilam mentioned that this letter comes in the wake of information confirming that a large proportion of journalists in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are prevented from entering Jerusalem for media coverage, unlike their colleagues from the Hebrew press, who have privileges that help them in their work, including freedom of movement and accessibility to acquiring information in the West Bank.

 

In their letter, Ilam Center stressed that freedom of movement is a right that must be emphasized due to the magnitude of importance in facilitating the work of the journalist, who is directly responsible for the public's right to knowledge and access to information.  This right has been emphasized in several texts in international law.

 

It is worth noting that the Israeli authorities limit the movement of journalists, as there are 505 permanent military checkpoints that Palestinian journalists are forced to face in addition to flying (temporary) checkpoints.