Text: Foreign Press Association in Israel condemns PA for threatening
journalists

[As reported in The Jerusalem Post website 13 September 2001]

Foreign journalists based in Israel have condemned the Palestinian
Authority's harassment of journalists and its suppression of videotape made
of Palestinian celebrations in the wake of the terror attacks in the United
States this week.

The Foreign Press Association in Israel released the following statement
relating to this incident:

"The FPA expresses deep concern over the harassment of journalists by the
Palestinian Authority as police forces and armed gunmen tried to prevent
photo and video coverage of Tuesday's rally in Nablus where hundreds of
Palestinians celebrated the terror attacks in NY and Washington.

"We strongly condemn the direct threats made against local videographers by
local militia members and the attitude of Palestinian officials who made no
effort to counter the threats, control the situation, or to guarantee the
safety of the journalists and the freedom of the press.

"We call on the PA to ensure freedom of the press and the free flow of
information and to prevent elements operating within PA jurisdiction from
making or carrying out threats that aim to impede this and effectively
impose censorship. We hold the PA fully responsible for the safety of each
and every journalist operating within their areas, especially those who were
filming and covering Tuesday's events in Nablus."