BETHLEHEM, West Bank / PNN /
Palestine News Network (PNN) has launched a professional safety training course for its journalists, alongside university graduates and civil society representatives involved in covering events across the Palestinian arena.
The two-day training was held at the Palestinian President Putin Foundation. The workshop opened with a minute of silence in honour of journalists killed in the line of duty, followed by remarks from colleague Monjed Jadou, who welcomed participants and outlined the training and its objectives, particularly amid difficult circumstances in which Israel is targeting journalists through various means and methods.
The course, which runs for two days, covers several areas aimed at strengthening journalists' ability to work in hostile environments and respond safely to challenging situations. Participants are also introduced to previous experiences of journalists who have faced attacks for different reasons, alongside practical first-aid training.
Jadou, director general and editor-in-chief of PNN, said the training aims to strengthen and develop the capabilities of journalists working for and contracted by the network. It also includes representatives of rights organisations and human rights defenders, with the aim of improving their ability to protect themselves while covering news events.
He said the training forms part of PNN's broader vision of promoting media freedoms, strengthening the work of media organisations and enabling journalists to cover events professionally while protecting their lives.
Jadou said PNN is working to develop journalists' professional capabilities and promote the principles of independent journalism at various levels, including occupational safety.
He added that the training is being held as part of a project supporting independent media, in cooperation with the French media development agency CFI and Expertise France, with funding from the European Union.
The training includes guidance on best practices for covering news events without putting journalists' lives at unnecessary risk, particularly amid difficult conditions in which journalists face targeting and other dangers.
Trainer Nael al-Shioukh, a journalist safety trainer, said the programme demonstrates PNN's commitment to developing the skills of young journalists and enabling them to better protect themselves while working in the field.
Al-Shioukh said the course provides specialised training based on real-life situations and the hostile working environments faced by journalists, particularly in places such as Palestine where media workers are exposed to risks and attacks.
He stressed the importance of learning from previous experiences and using them to improve journalists' preparedness and decision-making in the field.
Participants thanked PNN and the organisations supporting the training, saying the sessions helped them better understand conditions on the ground, the obstacles they may face and ways to carry out their work while reducing the risk of being targeted.
Ibrahim Al-Bam, a field researcher at Al-Ufuq Foundation, thanked PNN for organising the course, saying it contributes to strengthening a culture of professional safety among journalists, activists and human rights defenders and helps them protect their own lives and physical wellbeing.
Mohammed al-Qurna, a media graduate from Al-Quds Open University, praised the organisers for providing journalists with practical knowledge about working and protecting themselves in areas considered dangerous for media workers.
Freelance journalist Malak Abdel Latif also thanked PNN for the training, saying she learned how to respond to risks while covering events.
She said the training was particularly useful in teaching participants about preparedness, readiness and planning, as well as how to move and work safely in high-risk environments.
