Jerusalem - Major international media organizations
protested against Israel Thursday because it has prevented
journalists from entering the Gaza Strip for almost two weeks.
The media organizations, including ABC news, the BBC, CNN, the
Associated Press, Reuters and the New York Times sent a letter to
caretaker Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, saying they were 'gravely
concerned' about the denial of access to the Gaza Strip to foreign
journalists, which they called 'unprecedented.'
The letter, signed by presidents, directors and editors in
chief of the media outlets, urged Israel to 'immediately' restore
access to Gaza for international journalists 'in the spirit of
Israel's longstanding commitment to a free press.'
Israel has for the past two weeks slapped a near-total closure on
Gaza, allowing only basic humanitarian aid through its border
crossings with the strip in response to renewed rocket fire.
Olmert's spokesman, Mark Regev, said Israel had issued no specific
ban on the entry of journalists into Gaza, but said they were
prevented from entering as part of Israel's policy to allow
in only 'essential humanitarian supplies.'
'Our position is clear. Israel believes in the freedom of press.
Israeli and international journalists who work in Israel know full
well that they can work in complete freedom and the Arab journalists
in the neighbouring countries can only envy the independence and the
freedom of the media in Israel,' he told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
'Unfortunately because of the continued fighting the crossings
into Gaza have not been able to function normally and many people,
journalists included, have been inconvenienced,' he said.
He added Israel was 'working and hopeful' that its crossings with
Gaza would soon be able to function again as normal.
A Hamas militant meanwhile was killed Thursday morning
when a bomb he had been attempting to plant near Gaza's central
border with Israel exploded prematurely, witnesses said.
Medical officials said the body of Mohammed al-Ar'ir, 19, was
brought to Gaza City's Shifa hospital, with apparent shrapnel wounds
in most of his body, at 7:45 am (0445 GMT).
A statement issued by Hamas' armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades,
said one of its fighters was 'martyred while on a mission east of
Gaza City.' It did not elaborate.
Al-Ar'ir's death brings to 15 the number of militants killed
since a new wave of violence hit the Hamas-controlled territory over
the past two weeks.
The latest violence has rocked an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire
that held for five months.
The truce began unravelling following a November 4 Israeli
military incursion just over Gaza's central border, aimed at
destroying a 250-metre underground tunnel built by militants who
Israel said were plotting to abduct soldiers from Israeli territory.
The Israeli force was confronted by local militants, sparking the
fiercest clashes since the truce took effect June 19 and leaving six
dead, most of them members of Hamas' armed wing.
Since then, militants have launched at least 150 rockets and
mortar shells into Israel, a military spoksewoman said.
Israel has responded by shutting its borders with Gaza to all but
one shipment so far of 33 trucks with basic food and medical supplies
and a limited amount of fuel for Gaza's power plant.
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