“Israel must end exile of world media from Gaza,” says Lahart

Fianna Fáil TD and Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs, John Lahart, has warned that Israel’s calculated targeting of journalists and exclusion of international media from Gaza amounts to a deliberate attempt to silence “the eyes and ears of the world.”

Speaking at the Interparliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy in Copenhagen, Deputy Lahart said the EU must take urgent action to demand Israel open Gaza to international journalists and humanitarian agencies.

“It is essential that the world’s press gains access to Gaza to fully document the atrocities being carried out by the Israeli Government.

“Without journalists on the ground, the Israeli Government is free to control the information that leaves Gaza, while also erasing any evidence of the crimes they are committing.

“The killing of journalists is not accidental. It is a targeted campaign to silence scrutiny and prevent the international community from knowing the true scale of Israel’s actions.

“Without media access, we risk allowing evidence to be destroyed. This evidence is crucial, not only to inform the world, but also to prosecute future war crimes.

“If the Israeli Government has nothing to hide, as it claims, then why block international reporters? What has the Israeli Government got to fear from transparency?

“The EU must bring serious international pressure to bear, not only to allow medical and humanitarian aid, but also to ensure full press access.”

Concluding Deputy Lahart stated, “We must apply maximum pressure on the Israeli Government to ensure that international journalists are allowed into Gaza. Only then will the world have an honest record of the scale and severity of the atrocities being committed.”