CrossFireArabia
The ‘Palestinian Journalists Bloc’ states that it is condemning with anger the decision by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CBJ) to amend its definition of who qualifies as a journalist, and which resulted in the removal of martyred Palestinian journalists from its records. Journalists say this decision is a dangerous precedent and a professional and ethical violation, providing the Israeli occupation with further cover to justify its crimes against Palestinian journalists.
In a statement received by Quds Press, Wednesday evening, the Bloc added that the Committee based its decision on Israeli allegations claiming that some Palestinian journalists are affiliated with military entities, despite the absence of any legal or professional evidence to substantiate these claims. It pointed out the CBJ, in contrast, ignored its own established standards for dealing with journalists in other countries who accompany their militaries or work for media outlets affiliated with their governments, without revoking their journalistic status. This, according to the statement, is a double standard and a targeting of Palestinian journalists.
The Palestinian journalists note the committee’s announcement of removing 20 names from the list of martyred Palestinian journalists, while offering explanations for only eight of them, raises serious questions about the basis for its decision and undermines its credibility as a body that is supposed to defend press freedom and protect journalists, not adopt the narrative of the occupying power.
The bloc emphasized that the martyred Palestinian journalists were performing their professional duty of reporting the truth and documenting the genocide committed against the Palestinian people. It stressed that the removal of their names from the committee’s records does not negate their journalistic status, erase the truth, or absolve the Israeli occupation of its responsibility for deliberately targeting and killing them.
The bloc warned that this step constitutes a dangerous precedent that could open the door to justifying the targeting of journalists in conflict zones based on political claims, thus undermining the principle of international protection for journalists and weakening efforts to combat impunity.
And hence, the Palestinian bloc is demanding that the CBJ’s board of directors immediately reverse its decision and reinstate all Palestinian journalists killed in action on its official lists, and issues an apology for this bias, which is damaging the credibility and mission of the committee.
It is calling on the international press and human rights organizations and media unions to reject the latest decision, adhere to unified professional standards in dealing with journalists, and work to hold the Israeli occupation accountable for its crimes against Palestinian journalists, instead of adopting its narrative.
The bloc concluded its statement by affirming that the blood of Palestinian journalists will remain a testament to the truth, and that all attempts to erase their sacrifices or strip them of their professional status will fail.
This statement was translated from a report translated from Quds Press and appeared in crossfirearabia.com
