Full coverage? Gaza
Photo: AP
Courts inclined to allow handful of reporters into Gaza
Foreign Press Association in Israel petitions Supreme Court to order State to allows reporters into Strip; court asks State to consider creating media poll
The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the State to allow a handful of foreign reporters into Gaza, while Operation Cast Lead in ongoing.
The State and IDF have barred reporters form the Strip about six weeks ago, citing that the volatile security situation in Gaza poses a concrete risk to their safety.
The Foreign Press Association in Israel (FPA) petitioned the Supreme Court against the decision, and the court ordered it to compile a narrow list of reporters wishing to enter the area by Thursday morning.
The State was ordered to study the list and inform the court of its final decision.
Concrete risk. Qassam fired for Gaza (Photo: AFP)
The State's objection to the move, as presented by Attorney Hilla Gorni, stems from the fact that opening the crossing in the course of fighting for the mere reason of letting reporters into the Strip poses a risk to all involved.
Moreover, said the State, the constant flux of media reports coming out of Gaza, refutes the FPA's claims to the contrary.
Attorney Gilad Sher, for the FPA, claimed that the State has no right to determine who can and cannot cover the fighting in the Strip.
The honorable Dorit Beinish, Elyakim Rubinstein and Hanan Melcer, presiding over the hearing, asked the State to allow some reporters into Gaza in order to set up a "database" there for other reporters.
In a time when rockets are fired on Beersheba and Ashdod one must make way for the media's need as well as for security ones, noted the court.
"We're pleased with the court's decision," Sher told Ynet. "Media coverage is one of the cornerstones of democracy and you can't restrict foreign reporters so drastically."
