NUJ condemns treatment of journalists working in Gaza
The NUJ has written to the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland condemning the treatment of journalists working in Gaza.
In a letter to the Ambassador, Séamus Dooley, NUJ assistant general secretary, condemned the killing and targeting of journalists in Gaza and accused the Israeli government of being in clear violation of international law.
In a statement he said: "No government can hide behind actions such as the bloody campaign by Hamas to justify the abandonment of international law. On a day in which we highlight crimes against journalists across the world we wish to draw attention to the appalling treatment of media workers in Gaza, deliberate and sustained attacks designed to prevent journalists telling the story of what is happening."
The following is the text of the letter sent today;
Dear Ambassador,
On behalf of members of the National Unions of Journalists in Ireland I wish to formally protest in the strongest possible terms at the ongoing treatment of journalists in Gaza by the Israeli government.
On this, the eve of the 10th anniversary of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists we condemn the killing and targeting of journalists in particular those in Palestine, Lebanon, Israel, and Syria as a result of the war in Gaza.
Since the beginning of the year, at least 76 journalists and media workers have been killed in the course of their work, 46 of them in Gaza, according to statistics provided by the International Federation of Journalists.
At least 146 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the conflict in October 2023 – the bloodiest period in the history of journalism.
We call on the Israeli government to lift the ban preventing international journalists from entering the Gaza Strip.
Your government stands in violation of the UN Security Council Resolutions 2222/2015 and 1738/2006, which condemn international attacks against journalists and media workers in situations of armed conflict.
The deplorable actions of Hamas and their violent action, condemned unequivocally by this union, cannot be used to justify egregious attacks on the media and the extreme measures taken to prevent media workers from exercising their professional duties.
Yours sincerely,
Séamus Dooley
NUJ Irish Secretary