A coalition of 60 global press freedom and human rights organizations has sent an open letter to the European Union, urging serious action against Israel due to the country’s increasing violations of press freedom and the killing of journalists in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel. The letter, published on Monday, calls for the suspension of the EU’s Association Agreement with Israel as well as the implementation of targeted sanctions against responsible Israeli officials. Among the signing organizations are the International Press Institute (IPI), Human Rights Watch (HRW), and Free Press Unlimited (FPU).
In the appeal to the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and European Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, the letter emphasizes the urgent need for action against what it describes as “unforgettable violations of press freedom by Israeli authorities.” It states, “These violations are part of the extensive and systematic abuses perpetrated by Israeli authorities in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, and elsewhere, which have been documented or recognized by Israeli, Palestinian, and international NGOs, UN experts, the International Court of Justice, as well as requests for arrest warrants from the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.”
The organizations highlight eight specific actions taken by Israel that demand an urgent EU response, including targeted killings of journalists, bans on independent media in Gaza, and record-high arbitrary detentions of journalists. Since October 7, 2023, Israel has faced accusations of systematic abuses, including the killing of more than 120 Palestinian journalists and media workers in Gaza, as well as the arrest and arbitrary detention of at least 49 journalists. The letter also draws attention to allegations of torture, enforced disappearances, and significant censorship both within Israel and in the occupied Palestinian territories.
According to the letter, the overall effect of these violations is to create conditions that foster propaganda and misinformation, ultimately undermining the path to peace and security.
In July, Al Jazeera Arabic journalist Ismail al-Ghoul and his cameraman Rami al-Rifi were killed in an airstrike when their car was hit in the Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City. In January, Hamza Dahdouh, the eldest son of Al Jazeera Arabic’s bureau chief in Gaza, who was also a journalist, was killed by Israeli forces. In October of last year, Dahdouh’s wife, his 15-year-old son, seven-year-old daughter, and grandchild were killed in an airstrike. In December, Israel attacked and killed Al Jazeera Arabic journalist Samer Abudaqa and wounded Dahdouh in an operation in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
This open letter from global organizations underscores the need for decisive actions from the EU to protect press freedom and ensure the safety of journalists in the conflict-ridden region.