Sixty global press freedom and human rights organizations have signed a letter urging the European Union to take decisive action against Israel for its escalating violations of media freedom and the killing of journalists in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and Israel.
The letter, issued on Monday, called for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and the imposition of targeted sanctions on responsible Israeli officials. Among the signatories were the International Press Institute (IPI), Human Rights Watch (HRW), and Free Press Unlimited (FPU).
Addressed to top EU diplomat Josep Borrell and European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, the appeal emphasized the urgent need to address what they described as “unprecedented violations of media freedom by Israeli authorities.”
“These actions are part of widespread and systematic abuses committed by Israeli authorities in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, and beyond, as documented or acknowledged by Israeli, Palestinian, and international NGOs, UN experts, the International Court of Justice, and in a request for arrest warrants by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court,” the letter stated.
The letter argued that these violations should prompt the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and imposition of further targeted sanctions against those responsible.
The organizations detailed eight actions taken by Israel that require an immediate response from the EU, including the targeted killing of journalists, the ban on independent media access to Gaza, and the record-high arbitrary detention of journalists.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has faced accusations of systematic abuses, including the killing of more than 120 Palestinian journalists and media workers in Gaza, and the arrest and arbitrary detention of at least 49 journalists.
