IFJ kicks out Israeli union
THE INTERNATIONAL Federation of Journalists has expelled the National Federation of Israel Journalists (NFIJ) over its failure to pay affiliation fees. The decision was taken after failed attempts to resolve disputes over the IFJ’s repeated condemnation of Israeli attacks on the media.
The IFJ said it would continue to work with “groups of Israeli journalists that share our objectives and our mandate. There has never been a more important moment to support the unity and solidarity of our profession.”
But it added: “In the end the executive committee could not ignore the fact that the NFIJ appears to be unwilling to respect its obligations as a member organisation.” The executive’s decision was unanimous.
It said that IFJ actions related to Israel have always been directed against attacks on the media and breaches of international law.
An agreement was reached in March that would have wiped out the NFIJ’s €30,000 arrears, but discussions broke down over future payments. The Israelis wanted to pay a lower rate of fees — the same as is levied from Jordan and Palestine, rather than that applying to richer Arab states such as Bahrain, the UAE and Kuwait.
The NFIJ criticised the failure to consult it over an IFJ fact-finding mission to Gaza.
It said it was willing to develop regional structures “in which we and our Palestinian co-workers can exchange views and find ways to end mutual demonising in the press. We are proud of the role that our free press plays in the turmoil in the region.
“This was not only about money. It was about full and equal membership.”
An Israeli court has jailed two Palestinian journalists, Khader Shahine and Mohammed Sarhan, for two months for breaching military censorship regulations in their reports on troop movements in Israel in the build-up to the invasion of Gaza in January.