The international community remains silent while journalists are being killed in Gaza and Iran; no one has been held accountable for these crimes.

At least 184 journalists have been killed since the beginning of the war in Gaza, with at least four of them during the first week of Israel's attacks on Iran, documents the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). Two were killed in the bombing of the Iranian Public Broadcasting Corporation (IRIB) in Tehran. There is insufficient information about the condition of many of the injured.

“It is difficult to obtain information in Iran, even though we have a branch there, but they are also under pressure. This is a double punishment for our colleagues in the field: they are threatened by the Iranian government, but now they are also targets of Israel. This is horrendous and senseless. A deliberate attack on the media is a war crime, and this is not the first violation by Israel, considering that its military has destroyed all media in Gaza,” says Anthony Bellanger, General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, in an interview with Cenzolovka.

The entire world witnessed the attack on the Iranian public broadcaster IRIB, which could be seen during the live broadcast. Heart-wrenching scenes are part of a tragic series of images of the killed, injured, and bloodied journalists in Gaza. The IFJ and other international journalism organizations have reacted, appealed, and protested, but no politicians have been able—or willing—to stop the killings.

What can the media community do at all? “We must acknowledge that there is no real solution when it comes to Israel. The IFJ, despite being the largest global organization of professional journalists and the only one for 35 years, does not have the means to compete with this rogue state, which has violated all UN resolutions since it signed the Geneva Convention in 1948. We have even less influence because few countries protest. Add to that the fact that the leading world power is a major supporter of Israel, and you can easily imagine how difficult our task is,” Bellanger points out.

He recalls that just a few days ago, “the large media community called on Israel to allow journalists to enter Gaza” and adds:

“But 21 months after the start of the war and the first appeal by the IFJ (October 2023), at best it is too late, at worst it is—a joke!”

When asked if he fears that targeted attacks will continue, he emphasizes:

“To be honest with you, yes. Given everything I’ve said before, the situation will worsen for journalists. I expect many more victims, grieving families, and attacks on information everywhere.”

BOTH ISRAEL AND HAMAS ARE ATTACKING

The IFJ reported that from June 14 to 17, at least 26 journalists, mostly Palestinian citizens of Israel working for Arabic-language media and international media, along with foreign journalists, were subjected to physical and racist attacks, censorship, and their equipment was seized while they attempted to report on bombings in Israel.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) published testimonies from journalists in Gaza who speak of intimidation, threats, and attacks by Hamas against them.  

End of the United Nations

On one hand, all governments agree, while speaking at the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, or the European Union, that journalists and media must not be victims of attacks, but they remain silent when attacks occur. Are international resolutions merely a smokescreen or are they intended only for certain criminals? What does this mean for the credibility of these resolutions and the countries that commit to them?

“This is a weakness of international governance that is living its last moments. After the war in Gaza and this genocide broadcast live, I do not see how the UN will be able to recover and, above all, reaffirm what its mission is. It was a noble project, born out of the disaster of World War II, but it will likely vanish with this new catastrophe. I have often spoken in all these institutions, but most of them are under pressure from the United States. Their statements, when they are published, are either very delayed or useless,” says Anthony Bellanger.

There have been announcements that the International Criminal Court (ICC) will include the killings of journalists in proceedings against Israeli officials. At the same time, the U.S. administration announced a week ago that it is sanctioning the chief prosecutor and other ICC officials. While the U.S. has not joined the ICC, other countries have, yet they remain silent.

“This example shows that the world is no longer running smoothly: the U.S., which does not recognize the ICC, wants to sanction the ICC prosecutor. And no government is saying anything, even though this is the only judicial institution that can still save our common global morality,” concludes Bellanger.

Associations and journalists in Serbia, condemning the attack on IRIB, recalled the bombing of RTS in 1999. In the final report to the prosecutors of the Committee for the Review of the NATO Bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, it is stated that although the civilian casualties from the bombing of RTS were “unfortunately large, they do not appear to be obviously disproportionate.”

Is the impunity for this crime one of the reasons why the world of high politics today ignores crimes even when they are committed “live” on television?

“Absolutely. The bombing of RTS in 1999 was truly traumatic. And this example clearly shows that impunity is a cancer that is eroding not only global journalism but also our societies. If Israel, supported and armed by the U.S. and Germany, can attack journalists, why can’t others? This is the result of the failure of our society to agree on establishing global governance.” 

JOURNALISTS ARE CIVILIANS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW

“The media are regularly under pressure in various forms. I would remind you that journalists are civilians, just like everyone else under international law. And that is the problem, as journalists expose themselves to danger in war zones, where they are on a mission to inform. They must be protected at the international level. The IFJ has proposed that the UN General Assembly adopt a Convention on the Protection and Safety of Journalists. However, given the context of international diplomacy, the high-level discussions we have been having since 2018 are challenging,” says Anthony Bellanger.

Source: Cenzolovka