The Palestinian Media Forum condemned the Israeli occupation forces' arrest of journalists, Radi Karama, after raiding his home in the city of Hebron, and Sameh Manasra from his home in Tulkarm, north and south of the occupied West Bank.

In a statement received by Safa, the forum confirmed that the occupation forces continue to violate the freedom of the press, violating the international and humanitarian covenants and laws that affirm the protection of journalists and the freedom of journalistic work.

It is an attempt to terrorize the Palestinian media crews to discourage them from exposing the crimes of the occupation against the Palestinian people.

The Forum expressed its full solidarity with the two colleagues, Karama and Manasra, to confirm that the continued violation of media freedoms by the Israeli occupation and the series of arrests of journalists require serious action by international organizations.

The arrest of the journalists raises the number of journalists imprisoned in the Israeli occupation prisons to 26, who committed nothing, but only practiced their professional duty.

The Forum renewed its demand for the necessity of releasing journalists imprisoned in the occupation's prisons, calling for pressure on the occupation authorities, and obligating them to respect the freedom of journalistic work and not to arrest Palestinian journalists.

All the occupation’s attempts to terrorize journalists and break their will are doomed to failure. The reality is the best witness to their continuing their professional duty and national role despite the extent of the Israeli targeting, which amounted to cold-blooded killing and the destruction of media institutions.

Source : Safa