Gaza city: The Palestinian Journalists Forum on Thursday welcomed the statements issued by a number of British MPs, who called on their government to take stricter measures against Israel and hold it accountable for its grave violations of international humanitarian law.
According to Yemen News Agency, these statements from the British MPs came after a journalistic investigation by The Independent newspaper regarding the Israeli army's attack on Nasser Hospital in the Gaza Strip on August 25, 2015. In a statement published on its Facebook page, which was reviewed by the agency, the Forum commended the British calls urging against accepting Zionist justifications and calling for practical steps, including tightening sanctions and halting all forms of trade with Israel that contribute to the continuation of these violations.
The Forum affirmed that the testimonies and evidence uncovered by the investigation into the attack, which resulted in the deaths of journalists, paramedics, rescue workers, and civilians, necessitate an independent and transparent international investigation to determine responsibility and hold those involved accountable. It stressed that the targeting of Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip cannot be treated as isolated incidents or collateral damage, given the ongoing killing, targeting, injury, and arrest of journalists while performing their professional duty of reporting the truth and documenting events on the ground.
The Forum called on the British government and all other governments and international institutions to translate their positions into concrete measures that guarantee the protection of journalists and media workers, hold those responsible for their killings accountable, and prevent any political, military, or economic cover from being provided to those proven to be involved in these violations. It also reiterated its call to the International Criminal Court and international justice mechanisms to investigate the crimes targeting Palestinian journalists and prosecute those responsible, emphasizing that impunity encourages the continuation of violations.
The Palestinian Media Forum expressed its appreciation to the British MPs who raised their voices in defense of international law and press freedom, calling on parliamentarians, journalists, and human rights organizations in Britain and the world to continue to press for truth, justice, and fairness for the victims of targeting Palestinian journalists.
