HRW asks Israel to allow journalists access to Gaza Strip

NEW YORK: A leading Human Rights watchdog has called on Israel to allow journalists and human rights monitors access to Gaza Strip where its military is conducting operations against Hamas.
 
Their presence, said the Human Rights Watch (HRW), could discourage abuse by the warring parties and help save lives.
 
"The presence of journalists and human rights monitors in the conflict areas provides an essential check on human rights abuses and laws of war violations.
 
In a statement here on Sunday, it said since early November 2008, when the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began to deteriorate, the Israeli government has sharply restricted access to Gaza for foreign journalists and human rights monitors, and none has been permitted entry since the current military campaign began on December 27.
 
Israeli journalists have been denied access to Gaza for the past two years because of Israeli government's policy prohibiting its citizens from entering Gaza on security grounds, it noted.
 
"Journalists and rights monitors should be allowed into Gaza to investigate and report on the conduct of both sides," said Fred Abrahams, senior emergencies researcher for Human Rights Watch.
 
"Israel's excessive restrictions on access to Gaza only end up impeding this deterrent effect and placing civilians at greater risk."
 
It also wanted Israel to abide by Dec 31, 2008 High Court ruling to allow 12 foreign journalists into Gaza.

The Israeli government said it will allow eight journalists into Gaza every time it opens the border at the Erez crossing, but HRW said so far the crossing has remained closed to entry.
 
The decision by the High Court came in response to a petition by the Israeli Foreign Press Association, which represents more than 400 members from the world's leading international print and electronic media.
 
The association called the ban "an unprecedented restriction of press freedom" on Israel's part.
 
On November 21, 22 executives from the world's major news organizations, including the Associated Press, BBC, CNN, and Reuters, sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, complaining about the "prolonged and unprecedented denial of access to the Gaza Strip for the international media."
 
The restrictions create a very different reporting atmosphere than that during Israel's last major war, the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon in July-August 2006. At that time, the media and human rights organizations were able to report on the conflict from both sides.
 
International human rights law, applicable during armed conflict, upholds the right to freedom of expression of journalists and human rights monitors, the rights watchdog said.
 
States may restrict freedom of expression to protect national security, but only as permitted by law and as necessary for genuine and specific security reasons.