Ramallah /PNN/

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) has issued its report on violations of media freedoms in Palestine during the first half of this year 2023.

The report indicated that there has been no change in the number of violations documented by MADA during the first half of the year 2023 compared to those documented during the first half of the last year 2022, as the number of documented violations during the two periods was close, with a slight decrease that did not exceed 5%.

During the first half of the year 2023, the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including the eastern part of the occupied city of Jerusalem, witnessed a total of 234 violations, compared to a total of 247 violations documented during the first half of the year 2022, representing a limited decrease of 13 violations. The main reason for this decline is due to the drop in the number of documented violations by social media companies and platforms, while the violations of the Israeli occupation remained at the same pace during the first half of this year, compared to the documented increase in the number of violations committed by various Palestinian authorities against media freedoms.

The Israeli occupation committed the largest number of these violations (totaling to 194), constituting 83% of the total violations documented by MADA during the first six months of this year 2023, while various Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip committed 30 attacks, constituting 13% of all attacks and violations, while social media companies committed 10 violations, accounting for 4% of all documented violations.

The report indicated that the Israeli attacks - which occurred within 18 types - remained within their average compared to the documented attacks during the same period of last year 2022, with a decrease of only one point, and two violations thereof occurred in Gaza Strip.

This was a result of the various events that required journalists and media to cover in the West Bank, including the attacks carried out by the Israeli authorities alongside settlers in the northern West Bank (Nablus and Jenin), in addition to the continuous attacks throughout the first months in the city of East Jerusalem, including attacks against journalists while covering the "flags’ march" and the repeated storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by settlers.

The increase in popular activities in support of these cities, which erupted in other Palestinian Governorates, also had an important role in increasing the chances of contact between journalists and the occupation forces and settlers, which led to documenting this number of Israeli violations.

The report recorded a significant increase in the number of violations committed by Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip against media freedoms, which rose to 30 violations documented during the first six months of this year (25 of which occurred in the West Bank, at a rate of 83%), compared to 18 violations documented in the same period of last year, that is an increase of 34%.

On the other hand, the report showed a decrease in the number of violations committed by social media companies and platforms against media freedoms in Palestine by 71%, as MADA documented a total of 10 violations during the first half of the year 2023, compared to 34 violations documented during the first half of the year 2022.

The report indicated that despite this decline, it reveals the seriousness of these violations committed against media freedoms, at the instigation of official authorities, either Israeli or Palestinian.