With every shot fired, press freedom goes down.
As blood continues to shed in the ongoing armed conflict between Israel and Hamas, the people in Gaza find refuge in the thought of being heard of their harsh realities. However, those with bloody hands try to hide their brutal deeds by silencing the truth. Al Jazeera, an influential Arab news network, was the latest victim of the Israeli government’s censorship through a shutdown order on May 5.
The news network known for its stories featuring the cold-blooded nature of the Israeli government against Palestinians and the gruesome genocide, earned them allegations of being a “mouthpiece” for Hamas and encouraging public resistance. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took advantage of the passage of a new law regarding the temporary closure of foreign networks in Israel and ordered the Israeli Ministry of Communications to ban Al Jazeera broadcasts and websites completely.
This move is not just a way to cease operations of Al Jazeera but also to inflict a chilling effect on other opposing news networks. With the global outrage received by the Israeli government, they are willing to do anything just to clean up their blood-stained reputation and prevent it from being tarnished further.
It is more than a grave assault on press freedom but also a denial of the right to access information. If the Israeli government were able to suppress every foreign news network, there would be no reliable sources to document their atrocities amidst the armed conflict. They would be given control of media regulation and manipulate news for their gains.
The victimized citizens would be deprived of a platform to voice their grievances and a chance to get their deserved justice. Without factual reports, no rights groups nor international courts would have the evidence to defend their rights and side with them. The Israeli government, which is supposed to protect their nation, will continue to stomp on their human rights without fear of punishment.
Besides the threats to press freedom and other rights, the media’s safety is also at risk. The pursuit of forthright reportage has cost the lives of truth-seekers and continues to endanger them. This is proven by the May 3 report of the Committee to Protect Journalists, revealing that over 97 journalists and media workers were killed in Gaza, in an upward slope.
It was the duty of the press to report nothing but the truth. How come they are the ones being tormented the most? As their safety in coverages deteriorates, the hope for a free press also goes down the drain.
Despite having their mouths muzzled and their lives threatened, the media still choose to adhere to their sworn duties toward the masses. Without them, democracy will remain in shambles and the underrepresented will lose their voices.
As said by the Human Rights Watch Israel and Palestine Director Omar Shakir in a written statement, the Israeli government should stop committing atrocities instead of silencing reporting. It is not the written articles or broadcasts that ruin their image to the world but the contents of it.
Protecting press freedom will benefit both the press and the people, as it is the foundation of true liberty. It is time to shed light on the oppression in Gaza and penalize the real perpetrators because journalism will never be a crime.
The harder they try to stifle the voice of the press, the louder the cries for freedom become. No bullet of suppression will ever be enough to silence the impenetrable truth.
Article: Mary Ellen Faith Montemayor
Cartoon: Bianca Diane Beltran
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