Two different groups that monitor freedom of the press have contradicted each other on the Jewish State’s reputation for leading the Middle East in freedom of the press. The French-based "Reporters without Borders" organization dropped Israel as the leader in Middle East freedom of the press because of wartime restrictions on reporters in last year’s Operation Cast Lead against Gaza terrorists.
Censorship and limited movement of the media is standard operating procedure in every democratic country during wartime, similar to British clamps on journalists during the invasion of the Falklands in 1982.
Israel traditionally has topped the list of both media freedom groups, far outdistancing other Middle Eastern countries. However, Reporters without Borders has dropped Israel 47 places in the ranking, leaving it behind Kuwait, Lebanon and Egypt where media censorship is routine. The group cited the war in Gaza as the reason for the dramatic change.
Nevertheless, the United States-based Freedom House organization ranked Israel as number one in media freedom in the region. “Israel has been the only Middle Eastern country designated as 'Free' for over 30 years and remains the Middle Eastern nation with the most political and civil freedoms by a far margin,” according to Freedom House.
Reporters without Borders defended its demotion of Israel and told The Media Line, "Israel was on the top since the press index was created and we never said that the press in Israel is not free. But what we are condemning is the violation of press freedom by Israeli forces, and the Gaza War explains everything." The organization charged the IDF with killing three Arab journalists, but evidence has shown that the journalists violated warnings to stay out of areas where they were likely to be wounded or killed in crossfire between soldiers and terrorists.
Hebrew University Communications Professor Tamar Liebes replied to The Media Line, "This is part of a whole hysterical wave of anti-Israel feeling across the world. There is absolutely no evidence of a dramatic reduction in press freedom in Israel itself. Israeli press keep getting leaks from the government. You name it and it was in the Israeli press this year. Anything they get they print.
"Foreign journalists are just upset that Israel didn't let them into Gaza. But this was a war in a civilian area, and there is a lot of danger to civilians in these kinds of situations. In fact, over a dozen Israeli soldiers were shot by their own army. So it's Israel's responsibility to allow for free press -- but Israel also has to protect journalists."