THE MIDDLE EAST: The International Federation of Journalists, based in Brussels, has taken up the case of a Palestinian journalist who is seeking a renewal of her work permit by the Israeli authorities.
Ms Kawther Salam, who lives in Hebron but is currently on a visit to Ireland, seeks to have her Israeli press card renewed so that she can continue to operate freely as a journalist in Israel and the occupied territories.
The IFJ general secretary, Mr Aidan White, said he had taken up the case of Ms Salam directly with the Israeli government press office during a visit to Jerusalem at the weekend. The IFJ was going to appeal for special consideration to be given in this instance, he said.
Mr White said the IFJ had protested about new rules removing accreditation from Palestinian journalists. "It's a completely inappropriate form of apartheid discrimination against all Palestinians," he said. The new rules were a blow to dialogue between Palestinian and Israeli journalists. In view of the bombing of Palestinian broadcasting services, he said there seemed to be a policy of isolating Palestinian media and journalists. Taking up the case of Ms Salam was a way of highlighting the difficulties faced by Palestinian journalists. She was reporting on the actions of the Israeli defence forces in Hebron and was "very much at the front line".
Ms Salam is visiting Ireland as a guest of Frontline, a Dublin-based foundation for the protection of human rights defenders. The director of Frontline, Ms Mary Lawlor, said there was a strong human rights dimension to Ms Salam's work. She is a correspondent for al-Hayat al-Jadida and al-Ittihad.