In recent months many internationals, as well as locals have been prone to several kidnappings by armed Palestinians groups, the latest example of which took place yesterday in Gaza. MIFTAH, is seriously alarmed by this situation and calls on the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to step up its efforts in ensuring the safety and well being of innocent civilians in Gaza and throughout the Palestinian Territories.

Yesterday amid the highly anticipated ‘Unilateral Disengagement from Gaza,’ the Palestinian journalist (sound technician) working for France’s channel 3, Mohammed al-Ouathi was kidnapped in front of the Gaza International Hotel in Gaza City, around 11.30pm. At this time, no information about al-Ouathi’s whereabouts or the identities of the kidnappers has been received, nor has any group claimed responsibility for the kidnapping yet.

According to Al Mezan since July 2004, this is the 9th incident of its kind where a journalist is kidnapped in Gaza, and the 21st kidnapping in general. Commenting on the incident the Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Ann Cooper said, “There can be no justification for targeting a journalist, who was merely doing his job.”

Journalists and media workers must be protected as stated under Articles 19 and 29 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Articles 50 and 51 of the “Protocols Additional to the 1949 Geneva Conventions”, which emphasize the protection of civilians, which includes journalists and media workers in times of war. Article 79 of the “Protocols Additional to the 1949 Geneva Convention” further stipulate that: “journalists engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict shall be considered as civilians within the meaning of Article 50, Paragraph 1. They shall be protected as such under the conventions of this Protocol, provided that they take no action adversely affecting their status as civilians.”

MIFTAH is deeply concerned about the well being of al-Ouathi, and calls for his immediate and unequivocal release by the abductees. Furthermore, MIFTAH deems the latest spree of kidnapping as extremely harmful and counterproductive in promoting the just Palestinian cause on the international arena, such conduct distorts the essential integrity of the plight of the Palestinian people. Finally, MIFTAH urges the abductors to refrain from any such cruel and inhumane methods in the future.

The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, MIFTAH, is a non-governmental, non-partisan Jerusalem-based institution dedicated to fostering democracy and good governance within Palestinian society through promoting public accountability, transparency, the free flow of information and ideas and the challenging of stereotyping at home and abroad.