Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TELAVIV5307
2005-08-29 13:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

Through Israeli Eyes Only: Gaza journalists on the media

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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 005307 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD, IIP/G/NEA

JERUSALEM PASS PAO

E.O. 12958 DECL: 8/29/2015
TAGS: GZ IS KWBG KPAO OPRC GAZA DISENGAGEMENT ISRAELI SOCIETY
SUBJECT: Through Israeli Eyes Only: Gaza journalists on the media
and disengagement

Classified by DCM Gene A. Cretz for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 005307

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD, IIP/G/NEA

JERUSALEM PASS PAO

E.O. 12958 DECL: 8/29/2015
TAGS: GZ IS KWBG KPAO OPRC GAZA DISENGAGEMENT ISRAELI SOCIETY
SUBJECT: Through Israeli Eyes Only: Gaza journalists on the media
and disengagement

Classified by DCM Gene A. Cretz for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: In separate conversations with EMBOFF on
25 August, three Gaza journalists gave similar reasons for what
they described as the "Israeli-only" media coverage of disengagement.
Fear of kidnapping, as in the case of the French journalist
seized on 15 August and freed on 22 August, kept foreign journalists
out of Palestinian areas and prompted Palestinian journalists to
self-censorship; Palestinian officials were not used to managing the
media; and Palestinian journalists did not have access to the
Israeli settlements. Looking to increase the independence of
Palestinian media, the journalists mused on activism, diversity in
media outlets, and training as possible approaches. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) "The international media focused on the feelings of the
settlers and ignored the joy of the Palestinian people," said
Samer Hameto, a longtime journalist with the daily official
newspaper Al Hayat Al Jadida. Khalil al Sheik, from the
independent, pro-Palestinian Authority daily Al Ayyam, agreed:
"Foreign journalists did not fulfill their role. They covered
disengagement from the Israeli perspective only." Hameto was
plain-spoken about the cause: "We were all scared," he said.
"The most important reason was the case of the French journalist.
It affected us all." Three masked gunmen in Gaza kidnapped
Mohammed Ouathi, a soundman for France 3 television, just two
days before Israeli security forces moved to oust recalcitrant
settlers and intensive media coverage began. "The foreigners were
intimidated and returned to the Israeli side," said Bilar
Salem, director of the news agency The Palestinian Independent
Center for Media Services. "It was a very bad result." Palestinian
journalists, for their part, Salem noted, faced attacks from the
government, the armed factions, and the people: "It's the most
difficult work in the world."


3. (C) Al Sheik also said the lopsided coverage showed "the
government does not know how to deal with foreign media."
Salem noted that the Palestinian National Authority ran

two rival media centers, one sponsored by Interior Minister Yousef,
one sponsored by Civil Affairs Minister Dahlan, who compete for
power in Gaza. "I went to the big reception for all the journalists
given by Dahlan's center," he twinkled. "It was very nice, and
Abu Mazen (President Abbas) gave his speech there."


4. (C) The trio criticized the work of Palestinian journalists
as well. Hameto pointed out that Israeli military and police
forces decided in advance to forbid Palestinian journalists
access to the settlements - a move protested by the International
Federation of Journalists - which limited the types of stories
they could produce. Pessimistic, Palestinian writers focused too
much on official statements and the current story, and not
enough on the future, said Hameto. "Journalists here are not
independent," said Salem, and the media lack accuracy as a result.
I can hear three local radio stations in my neighborhood, he
said, one underwritten by HAMAS, one by Fatah, one by Islamic
Jihad. After the municipal elections, the HAMAS station said HAMAS
won, the Fatah station said Fatah won. "I switched them both off!"
(NOTE: According to NGO media watchdogs such as Reporters
Without Borders, the GOI, other than banning access for
Palestinian journalists, did not harass Palestinian media workers
during disengagement operations. The PNA, which on July 20
announced that journalists would face "penalties" if they
"deal with or handle any type of statements or publications that
touch on internal events and carry between their line words that
slander, libel or harm others," did not take any other actions
targeting disengagement media coverage. END NOTE.)


5. (C) The best story I wrote, said Hameto, was interviews of
Gazans whose homes are next to the settlements. "They described
how they lived in fear, under fire, and now they are free."
He usually covers economic issues, and was also pleased with his
work on how disengagement could reduce unemployment and decrease
poverty by restoring freedom of movement, and on Israeli
-Palestinian coordination. Al Sheik liked best a story on how
municipal governments are planning to pave the workers' paths
to the settlements into proper roads. Another favorite piece
covered the many small peaceful celebrations, which al Sheik
believed international media ignored in favor of familiar images
of masked men waving guns.


6. (C) These working journalists wanted to increase the
independence of Palestinian media, and saw activism, diversity
in media outlets, and English language skills as possible
approaches. "We protested the case of the French journalist,"
said Hameto, and maybe it will not happen again. Al Sheik noted
that, over the past decade, the Internet and other new
technologies have brought competition to Palestinian journalism.
"This is a good thing." Even the highly partisan local radio
stations are progress, said Salem, and the press is slowly
becoming "more free." Salem, who runs his agency on the pricey
fees he charges diplomatic missions for a daily English newsletter,
said "the real problem is money." He favors training more
Palestinian journalists to write in English, to use the
Internet to publish, and to adopt neutral vocabulary: "neither
terrorists or martyrs."

KURTZER