Hamas banned three Fatah-affiliated newspapers from Gaza and has threatened several Palestinians journalists. Fatah too, is pressuring journalists. The tension leaves the Palestinian Media Union with little room to maneuver. The Jerusalem Post writes:
The PMU also warned its members of favoring one side over the other. “We must remain neutral,” it said. “We must avoid serving as mouthpieces for any party.”
A nice statement at face value. But Palestinian journalism was never renowned for its independence. Print and broadcast news enjoy zero press freedom, and are largely owned by the factions themselves. Even John McCain and Barack Obama don’t have to contend with that level of partisanship. Or maybe not.
