Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – 60 global press freedom and human rights organisations have inscribed a letter calling on the European Union to take powerful action against Israel for its escalating breaches of media freedom and the slaying of journalists in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Israel.
What Actions Are Global Press Freedom Organizations Demanding from the EU Against Israel?
The letter demanded the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and the imposition of targeted sanctions on accountable Israeli officials. It was signed by associations including the International Press Institute (IPI), Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Free Press Unlimited (FPU).
Addressing chief EU diplomat Josep Borrell and European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, the appeal highlighted the urgent need for action against what they define as “unprecedented violations of media freedom by Israeli authorities”.
“These are part of widespread and systematic abuses perpetrated by Israeli authorities in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, and elsewhere, as documented or admitted by Israeli, Palestinian and international NGOs, UN experts, the International Court of Justice, and in a request for arrest warrants by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court,” the letter, stated.
What Role Could EU Sanctions Play in Addressing Allegations of Media Censorship in Israel?
“These violations should trigger the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and further EU-targeted sanctions against those responsible,” it was said in the letter. The organisations drafted eight actions taken by Israel that require an urgent reaction by the EU, including the targeted killing of reporters, a ban on independent media access to Gaza, and record-high arbitrary arrest of journalists.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has faced charges of systematic abuses, including the killing of more than 120 Palestinian journalists and media employees in Gaza, and the arrest and arbitrary detention of at least 49 journalists.
The letter also stressed allegations of torture, enforced disappearances, and consequential censorship within Israel and the Palestinian territory it occupies. The cumulative outcome of these violations, the letter stated, was to create conditions facilitative to propaganda and misinformation, ultimately damaging the path to peace and security.
