RAMALLAH, West Bank, March 8 (UPI) -- A report published by a Palestinian press freedom agency says Palestinian media faced more assaults from its own authorities last year than from Israel.
The Ramallah-based Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) recently released its annual report concerning the violations in Palestinian territories for 2011. The report includes documentation of violations committed against journalists monitored by the organization.
The report states there were a total of 206 violations last year where journalists were physically attacked or intimidated in the West Bank and Gaza, with Palestinian security services responsible for 106 violations and Israeli settlers and the Israeli Army responsible for 100.
Mousa Rimawi, the organization's general-director said it was the first year that Palestinian violations exceeded those committed by Israel.
Without an end to Israel's occupation, and the ratification of the Palestinian political reconciliation, Rimawi said he doubts whether media freedom will improve.
The most horrifying violation of press freedom stated in the 60-page report was the killing last April of Italian journalist Vittorio Arrigoni by an armed Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip.
Rimawi said while the number of Israeli violations had decreased last year, they constituted a greater threat to the health and well being of journalists.
