Journalists and editors-in-chief call for action on safety of Palestinian colleagues in letter to Veldkamp
A wide coalition of journalists and editors-in-chief of 49 Dutch media*, together with the Netherlands Union of Journalists (NVJ) and Free Press Unlimited (FPU), offered an urgent letter to caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs Caspar Veldkamp on Wednesday 11 June at 10 am. The letter is a joint appeal to protect Palestinian journalists. The handover will take place in person at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague.
The call is an initiative by individual journalists who, together with their chief editors, are deeply concerned about the extreme risks under which Palestinian colleagues have to do their work. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 184 journalists and media workers have been killed since October 2023. This is the deadliest period for journalists ever recorded. The initiators explain, "Our colleagues in the occupied Palestinian territories pay an indescribably high price for practising their profession”.
The signatories speak of a serious and systematic violation of international law. There is evidence of targeted attacks on journalists by Israeli forces. Foreign media are denied access to Gaza and the work of international and local journalists is systematically obstructed. "Access to reliable information is a human right. Journalists provide documentation of war crimes and human rights violations that we can use to hold rulers accountable. This is why the safety of Palestinian journalists is vital. They are the eyes and ears of the world," the initiators said.
In the letter, the initiators make five concrete appeals to outgoing minister Veldkamp:
- Actively advocate for the protection of journalists in Gaza and the West Bank;
- A public international statement condemning Israeli violations of press freedom;
- An independent investigation into the deaths of Palestinian journalists;
- Include these violations in the investigation under the EU-Israel Association Agreement;
- Insist on access for international journalists to Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Read the letter below:
*The call is supported by editors-in-chief of AD, AD de Dordtenaar, AD Groene Hart, AD Haagsche Courant, AD Rotterdams Dagblad, AD Utrechts Nieuwsblad, ANP, BN De Stem, Brabants Dagblad, De Correspondent, De Gelderlander, De Groene Amsterdammer, De Groene Amsterdammer, The editors-in-chief of the 13 regional public broadcasters (RPO), De Stentor, EenVandaag, Eindhovens Dagblad, FTM, Het Parool, Human, Journalisten van NRC, Journalisten van Bureau Wibaut, KRO-NCRV, Medisch contact, NOS, Nieuwsuur, Nu.nl, NTR, PZC, RFG Media, RTL Nieuws, Trouw, Tubantia, Vers Beton, Villamedia, Volkskrant, VPRO, Vrij Nederland, Free Press Unlimited (FPU), Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten (NVJ), Vereniging van Onderzoeksjournalisten (VVOJ).
