"Israel bars media from covering Gaza evac"
- - - - by Anonymous
"Posted: July 15, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern
By Aaron Klein
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
Neve Dekalim, GAZA – Despite multiple promises media access to Gaza's Jewish communities would not be restricted during the upcoming withdrawal, Israel yesterday demanded as condition for entering the area that journalists first sign a contract they will depart before next month's evacuation.
Meanwhile, several reporters who were inside Gaza before it was closed are stuck there unless they sign the agreement or leave permanently."
"The agreement also requires reporters to coordinate their travel with the IDF, provide the IDF with continuous contact information, and agree to "leave the Restricted Area, without delay, immediately after being told to do so by the authorized IDF officials.""
""An IDF spokesman told WND that while reporters will not be allowed to stay inside Gaza's Jewish communities during the evacuation, there will be daily media shuttles to the area. He would not say whether journalists would be allowed to travel freely once inside, or whether the shuttle would go to areas being evacuated or communities already emptied.
"There also may be some opportunities for reporters to be embedded with army units. We're still working on that," said the spokesman.
Many journalists have taken issue with the contract.
"The situation is very disappointing," said one reporter, a correspondent for an American cable network. " The media must be allowed to cover the events of the withdrawal as they happen. Israel is clearly trying to keep the cameras and correspondents away from scenes sure to be controversial."
Another, a reporter from a major British daily, told WND: "Aside from not being able to freely cover the evacuation, I take issue with the stipulation that says any authorized IDF officer can tell me to leave at any time. It gives them free reign to throw anyone out. They can technically do it just for not liking my coverage.""
Here`s the whole thing.
1:00 a.m. Eastern
By Aaron Klein
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
Neve Dekalim, GAZA – Despite multiple promises media access to Gaza's Jewish communities would not be restricted during the upcoming withdrawal, Israel yesterday demanded as condition for entering the area that journalists first sign a contract they will depart before next month's evacuation.
Meanwhile, several reporters who were inside Gaza before it was closed are stuck there unless they sign the agreement or leave permanently."
"The agreement also requires reporters to coordinate their travel with the IDF, provide the IDF with continuous contact information, and agree to "leave the Restricted Area, without delay, immediately after being told to do so by the authorized IDF officials.""
""An IDF spokesman told WND that while reporters will not be allowed to stay inside Gaza's Jewish communities during the evacuation, there will be daily media shuttles to the area. He would not say whether journalists would be allowed to travel freely once inside, or whether the shuttle would go to areas being evacuated or communities already emptied.
"There also may be some opportunities for reporters to be embedded with army units. We're still working on that," said the spokesman.
Many journalists have taken issue with the contract.
"The situation is very disappointing," said one reporter, a correspondent for an American cable network. " The media must be allowed to cover the events of the withdrawal as they happen. Israel is clearly trying to keep the cameras and correspondents away from scenes sure to be controversial."
Another, a reporter from a major British daily, told WND: "Aside from not being able to freely cover the evacuation, I take issue with the stipulation that says any authorized IDF officer can tell me to leave at any time. It gives them free reign to throw anyone out. They can technically do it just for not liking my coverage.""
Here`s the whole thing.
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