Mahameed, correspondent in Jerusalem for Lebanese channel Al Mayadeen TV, received a phone call on 5 November, informing her to pick up a package in the post office of Kfar Saba, a city in the centre of Israel.
The next day, the Palestinian journalist went to the post office and found herself surrounded by individuals, who identified themselves as Israeli journalists, including Haim Etgar, correspondent for Israeli TV station Channel 12. According to the Mahameed’s account, the individuals filmed, harassed and threatened her, while accusing her of spreading “fake news” about the Israeli military.
The reporter, who recounted the incident on air to Al Maydeen on 6 November, recalled that the so-called “crew of journalists” followed her after leaving the building and prevented her from getting into the car.
The case of Mahameed is only one of the many examples that shed light on the climate of fear, intimidation and coercion that journalists and media workers in Israel are subject to everyday since the beginning of the war in Gaza.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on 4 November that Israeli police have been harassing Palestinian journalists with Israeli citizenship who report on the war for local and foreign media.
On 15 October, BBC News Arabic reporters were assaulted and held at gunpoint, after they were stopped by the police in Tel Aviv, despite their vehicle being clearly marked as media. While attempting to film the incident, one of the journalists recounted that his phone was thrown on the ground.
On 14 October, the home of Israeli journalist and columnist Israel Frey was attacked by a mob of far-right individuals, after Frey expressed solidarity with Palestinians. The crowd fired flares into the sky and threatened to kill the journalist.
On 7 October, Sky News Arabia reported that its crew was assaulted by Israeli police in the southern city of Ashkelon. According to the channel’s correspondent, Firas Lutfi, the police pointed rifles at him, ordered him to undress, confiscated their phones and escorted them out to the area.
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “We are sounding the alarm about this climate of intimidation faced by journalists and media workers in Israel, which has worsened since the war in Gaza started. It is particularly disturbing when journalists fail to uphold their professional responsibilities and engage in the harassment and intimidation of their colleagues, such as the case involving our colleague Hanaa Mahammed. Increased attacks and mounting pressure on reporters underscore the urgent need for an investigation by Israeli authorities into the violence against journalists.