"This is an alarming and infuriating decision that shows that someone in the government has something to hide," says Yesha Council spokesperson Emily Amrusi.
"The very idea of monitoring the entry of reporters and controlling what can be photographed," she said, "shows that crimes such as brutality and violence will apparently be perpetrated there, as well as emotional manipulations such as separating children from parents in order to force the parents to leave their houses, and more. We know of things like this that are being planned. The government has an interest in ensuring that scenes like this are not shown [on television] in people's living rooms. To say that they don't want to 'inflame passions' is ridiculous, since even coverage of a traffic accident can cause [negative emotions]."
"In a democratic country, the regime must be open, and the reporters must fight in order to bring information to the public. But I'm not sure that they will do that. The press today is totally enlisted on behalf of the Prime Minister, and not on behalf of media values."
Amrusi said that the media war has not been lost: "We will give out video cameras to the residents and to their supporters who will come from outside; today it's very easy to get pictures out, even via cell phones. Within seconds, the pictures will be at the news desks - but the question is what they will do with them. Will they broadcast them, or will they 'think small' and say that these scenes are of no interest to the public – as one reporter in Yediot Acharonot said... A reporter must tell the story, honestly and completely."
Under the restrictions, which were announced by the IDF in mid-March, radio, television and newspaper reporters will not be allowed to move from one community to another without permission and a military escort. The only journalists who will be allowed to enter the communities will be "embedded" with military personnel who will restrict photographers. "Wherever there are cameras, passions are ignited," explained an army spokesman.
Media coverage in Israel is generally coordinated by the Government Press Office, "gpo@pmo.gov.il".
"The very idea of monitoring the entry of reporters and controlling what can be photographed," she said, "shows that crimes such as brutality and violence will apparently be perpetrated there, as well as emotional manipulations such as separating children from parents in order to force the parents to leave their houses, and more. We know of things like this that are being planned. The government has an interest in ensuring that scenes like this are not shown [on television] in people's living rooms. To say that they don't want to 'inflame passions' is ridiculous, since even coverage of a traffic accident can cause [negative emotions]."
"In a democratic country, the regime must be open, and the reporters must fight in order to bring information to the public. But I'm not sure that they will do that. The press today is totally enlisted on behalf of the Prime Minister, and not on behalf of media values."
Amrusi said that the media war has not been lost: "We will give out video cameras to the residents and to their supporters who will come from outside; today it's very easy to get pictures out, even via cell phones. Within seconds, the pictures will be at the news desks - but the question is what they will do with them. Will they broadcast them, or will they 'think small' and say that these scenes are of no interest to the public – as one reporter in Yediot Acharonot said... A reporter must tell the story, honestly and completely."
Under the restrictions, which were announced by the IDF in mid-March, radio, television and newspaper reporters will not be allowed to move from one community to another without permission and a military escort. The only journalists who will be allowed to enter the communities will be "embedded" with military personnel who will restrict photographers. "Wherever there are cameras, passions are ignited," explained an army spokesman.
Media coverage in Israel is generally coordinated by the Government Press Office, "gpo@pmo.gov.il".