Israel’s targeting of Palestinian journalists has veered into selective collective punishment against the profession. According to the Ma’an news agency, Israel has now banned Arab and international organisations from importing bulletproof vests for journalists in Gaza, in an attempt to render Palestinian press even more vulnerable to attack.
Given Israel’s penchant for “collateral damage”, the latest oppressive tactic will allow the display of additional victims, despite the protection outlined in Article IV, Chapter III of the Geneva Convention that journalists are to be entitled to the same rights and protection granted to civilians. The disregard for international norms exhibited by Israel is once again evident, as the perpetual security concern rhetoric was woven into the purported explanation of the ban.
Quoted in Ma’an, the spokesperson for the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territory stated that “bulletproof vests are dual-use devises whose entry requires examinations of the security establishment.” It was added that requests for vests are examined “with the security protocols.”
