A CNN producer is kidnapped in Gaza

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Thus, Israeli government spokesmen, from Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert down to jingoistic current events talk show hosts in the radio, are using the case as ‘proof’ that there’s anarchy in the territories, with nobody to trust or talk to. (Nonetheless, there are persistent reports that Israeli and Palestinian security officials are in talks, trying to coordinate the search for the missing journalist). The kidnapping also created an opportunity for those inclined to do so, to describe the foreign press working in the territories as cowed, afraid for their lives and therefore never critical of the Palestinians and almost always critical of Israel.

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sraeli officials meanwhile are blaming ‘either Hamas or Islamic Jihad’ for the kidnapping, with no evidence to prove anything. Hamas has condemned the kidnapping, and there has been high-profile reporting on how the Palestinian Authority’s security services are conducting a massive hunt for the missing producer-translator. Israeli government sources were also telling the press that Yasser Arafat could arrange for the producer’s release – ‘if he wants’ – while Palestinian government sources were saying that Arafat has ordered the PA’s security services to find the producer. According to a Palestinian reporter interviewed by Israel Radio, the fact that no group has claimed responsibility is an indication that the kidnappers had ‘criminal’ rather than ‘nationalist’ motives, meaning are possibly holding him ransom for money. But so far nothing has been published or reported about any ransom demands being made of CNN.

The Foreign Press Association – and Israeli reporters – are meanwhile complaining about an army order closing the Gaza Strip to reporters. The army says it is for the reporters’ safety. The reporters say that closing the territory to them will not help the missing Ghanem.

Another, less noticed story today is a letter from several members of one of the most elite Israeli army units, Shaldag (Kingfisher), to the senior command, complaining about army policy using collective punishment against towns and villages in the West Bank. Since the soldiers are not threatening to refuse orders, their complaints appear to be receiving attention from the senior command, according to a Haaretz report on the affair. The report seemed to balance another report involving troops on the ground – a team of Border Police is under arrest for abusing Palestinians, including forcing the to drink urine. The Border Police command admits that the case is not isolated, but as the new commander of the force, Brigadier General Hassan Faras admitted, ‘this is one in a series of cases.’ He said he is taking it very seriously and that he is making it a top priority in the service to eradicate such behavior.

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