Palestinians outraged at Israeli bill to ban filming of IDF
The Palestinian Ministry of Information and the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate are fighting a bill under discussion in the Knesset to ban the filming and photographing of Israeli soldiers.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Palestinian Ministry of Information issued a statement May 27 describing the Israeli Knesset deliberations on a bill that would ban the filming of Israeli soldiers in action as the height of discrimination. The statement said the proposed law encourages Israeli soldiers to continue killing and called it an attempt to protect them from international legal pursuit. The proposal to ban the filming of Israel Defense Forces soldiers stems from concern that documentation would affect the soldiers’ work.
The bill states, “Anyone who films, photographs and/or records soldiers in the course of their duties with the intention of undermining the spirit of IDF soldiers and residents of Israel shall be liable to five years imprisonment. Anyone intending to harm state security will be sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.” The bill also would prohibit the publication of such photo or video content on social media.
