Attacks on Palestinian journalists have always been widespread. The Israeli authorities frequently charge Palestinian media workers with “incitement” and imprison them as “administrative detainees” based on claimed “secret evidence”.
Both of these charges are bogus and are aimed to prevent the journalists from exposing the Israeli crimes.
Like other detainees journalists held in Israeli prisons suffer from torture, beatings, humiliation and torture. As well, they are deprived from any form of communication with the outside world.
There are currently six Palestinian female journalists held in Israeli prisons and are not due to be released ant time soon while enduring the violence of the Israeli guards.
They are Bushra Al Taweel from Ramallah. This is her 5th arrest in three years and today she is held in administrative detention for six months under the instruction of the Israeli Shin Bet.
Then follows Ikhlas Saleh Sawalha. She was arrested at a military checkpoint in Dier Sharaf. Her arrest is due to the fact that her husband, journalist Ibrahim Abu Safiya has been in Ofer prison since 2022.
Ikhlas has been arbitrarily detained since December, 2023 with under an administrative detention that is renewed almost automatically.
Then comes journalist Rula Hassanein from Ramallah. She is also under administrative detention that is being routinely renewed.
Rula has a baby which has refused her food and milk without her mother leading to her dehydration. Therefore, doctors had to intervene and administer intravenous injections.
Then there is journalist Asmaa Harish. Israeli soldiers stormed her home in Beitunia, west of Ramallah, last April and took her away. She is presently in prison under administrative detention.
Her case is related to the fact she is the daughter of Noah Harish and her brother Ahmad who are in an Israeli jail.
Then there is 39-year-old Rasha Herzallah. She is being detained for what the Israeli authorities claim incitement on social media platforms.
She is the sister of Mohammad Herzallah, a journalist at the Wafa news agency. He was shot by Israeli soldiers in Nablus in 2022 and four months later he succumbed to his wounds and died.
Finally, student Amal Al Shujaiya was taken from her home in Dier Jarir, east Ramallah, late at night by Israel soldiers. She is being detained awaiting a military court hearing. Amal is a journalism student at Birzeit University in Ramallah.
“She is leaving a big space of emptiness in our house,” her mother said.
Dr Marwan Asmar is an Amman-based journalist covering Middle East affairs. He writes at https://crossfirearabia.com/
