AN NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) promoting media freedom says at least 17 Palestinian journalists are currently being held in harsh conditions in Israeli jails in contradiction of international law and they condemn the regime for practicing ‘organised terrorism’ to silence Palestinian media.
The Journalists’ Support Committee (JSC) said in a statement on Saturday that seven of the 17 Palestinian journalists have already been sentenced, while five others are incarcerated under so-called ‘administrative detention’ – a policy under which Palestinian inmates are kept in Israeli detention facilities without trial or charge.
The journalists’ rights group added that five members of the press in the occupied territories are awaiting their verdicts as well.
The JSC warned against ‘the delay in issuing verdicts against the prisoners who have been detained for several years without charge,’ describing the policy as ‘a blatant violation of international law and human rights.’
Palestinian activists and journalists, backed by rights groups, have raised the alarm about Facebook’s pro-Israeli bias leading to an unjust suppression of their content on the social media network.
‘The occupying Israeli regime practices organised terrorism against Palestinian media in an attempt to silence its journalists and undermine the steadfastness of Palestinian people’ it said.
There are reportedly more than 7,000 Palestinians currently being held in Israeli jails. Hundreds of them have been incarcerated without charge or trial.
Palestinians and human rights groups say ‘administrative detention’ violates the right to due process since evidence is withheld from prisoners while they are held for lengthy periods without being charged, tried, or convicted.
The detention takes place on orders from a military commander and on the basis of what the Israeli regime itself describes as ‘secret’ evidence.
Rights groups condemn Israel’s use of this ‘administrative detention’ policy as a ‘bankrupt tactic’ and have long called on the regime to stop it.
International rights groups have also censured Israeli travel bans on Palestinian journalists, which prevent them from leaving the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Earlier this month, the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) reported that Israeli officials issued 1,595 such detention orders against Palestinians in the occupied territories in 2021, with 200 Palestinians detained under the inhumane policy in May alone – when the regime launched the 11-day war on the besieged Gaza Strip.
The PPS said 60 Palestinian detainees, who were mostly held without trial or charge, resorted to going on hunger strike to regain their freedom, including Hisham Abu Hawwash, who was on hunger strike for 141 days.
Earlier this month, Hawwash agreed to end his fast after reaching a deal with Israel to be released next month.
- Meanwhile, the majority of Iranians consider Israel to be a threat and say any possible adventurism by the occupying regime must be ‘seriously’ dealt with, according to a national opinion poll.
The findings of the national survey were published on Saturday as the Israeli regime continues its destabilising acts in the region with unwavering support from the United States.
The survey used data collected from 1,106 participants using PASS software.
Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used to analyse the data from the sample population, who were 61% men and 39% women aged between 18 and 75. 47% of the participants were classified as young, 42% middle-aged and 11% older adults.
The national poll sought to assess the approach and level of support by the Iranian people for a response to a possible Israeli military action, raising such issues as the extent to which people follow the news related to the conflicts between Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), the extent to which Iranians consider the Israeli regime to be a threat, popular acceptance of the response to threats by the Israeli regime, satisfaction with current trends in countering the threats of the Israeli regime and popular reaction in case of possible military action by the Israeli regime.
The survey demonstrated that 83% of people follow the news on the Israeli regime conflicts with the IRI. Of the 83% following the news, 32% follow it on a regular basis, 56% follow the news based on its importance, and 12% follow it occasionally.
Also, ‘49% of people following the news on Israel believe that the domestic challenges of the Israeli regime affect its political and security instability, and 78% of the 49% believe that these challenges will lead to an implosion in Israel,’ the poll showed.
A top Iranian military commander has warned that the Islamic Republic’s Armed Forces will give a crushing response to any Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear and military sites.
On the threat issue, the survey findings said 67% of Iranians consider the Israeli regime to be a threat to Iran. Of those who see Israel as a threat, 56% believe that the threats and terrorist actions of the regime against Iran are against the identity, ideals, and political, cultural, national, and religious values of the Iranian people, and 81% see these measures as paving the way for Iranophobia.
The survey showed that 73% of Iranians consider the Israeli regime’s anti-Iranian acts of terrorism and sabotage as an encouragement for imposing further sanctions on the country, thus affecting their livelihoods.
Also, 69% of participants in the survey consider any military action by the Israeli regime and reciprocation by the IRI as laying the ground for more economic challenges. Of those, 48% consider the challenges as a breeding ground for an economic crisis, while 41% see it as an ordinary challenge that will not lead to an economic crisis.
In the survey, 61% of respondents consider the Israeli regime to be a supporter and instigator of Takfiri terrorist groups against the Islamic Republic of Iran and a threat that must be repelled as soon as possible.
Also in the survey, 74% of the respondents do not consider the response of the IRI to the actions of the Israeli regime, such as the assassination of military commanders and scientists, as well as sabotage against Iran’s nuclear and public infrastructure, to be appropriate.
Of the participants in the survey, 79% were in favour of a military confrontation by the IRI with the military threats and possible destructive terrorist acts of the Israeli regime. Of the 79%, 39% are demanding a stronger response and 31% of the 79% consider the situation as an opportunity to destroy the Israeli regime.
Of the participants in the survey, 73% believe that the IRI has the ability to respond to the threats of the Israeli regime against itself.
According to the survey, 63% of the people in the country agree with representing the literature related to the terrorist threats of the Israeli regime against the IRI in school and higher education textbooks. Of those, 53% believe that little work has been done in this respect so far.
On the subject of popular reaction in the event of possible Israeli military action, 63% of participants declared that they will participate in this. Of those, 39% declared that the nature of their participation will be political (ranging from marches to political, media, and social media campaigns).
Of the 63%, 23% declared that the nature of their participation will be financial support, and 27% said their participation was conditional on requirements, and 11% declared their readiness for combat.
The results of the survey indicate that the majority of Iranians, while understanding the threats, will welcome dealing with them if the Israeli regime decides to take risks against the IRI. They even want a tougher approach in this respect. Most people will also respond actively considering their capabilities.
