Some of the UK’s best-known Jewish journalists have called on the Israeli and Egyptian governments to lift their embargo on international media entering the Gaza Strip.
Signatories of the letter – published by Press Gazette – include Robert Peston, ITV’s Political Editor, Emily Maitlis and John Sopel, formerly of the BBC and now hosts of the ‘News Agents’ podcast, and Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Editor of the Sunday Times.
“Over the last 18 months, we’ve been perturbed that Israel and Egypt have rejected requests from international media to be allowed normal journalistic access to Gaza”, the letter says.
“With the breakdown of the most recent ceasefire, restrictions on aid, and troops on the ground, it is critical that reporters are able to fulfil their important responsibility to report accurately, faithfully and independently, and to exercise the normal editorial judgements according to the highest ethical standards and journalistic practices.”
The letter, which was also signed by Alex Brummer and Sabrina Miller of the Daily Mail, Noa Hoffman of The Sun and Ben Kentish of LBC, states that: “As journalists and editors, who are also Jews, we see Israel’s and Egypt’s refusal to allow such access as unjustified and unjustifiable, and as an unacceptable restriction on our professional responsibility to inform readers, viewers and listeners accurately and impartially.
Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel, WJR Annual Dinner 2023
“Journalists are the first line of accountability. Refusal of access is therefore a denial of the voices of all in Gaza. We owe it to the victims of this conflict – and all future conflicts – that journalists can report on what’s happening and tell the story to the fullest extent possible. That is not possible without being on the ground.”
The letter is an initiative of Charles Keidan, Executive Editor of Alliance magazine, who asked Peston for support.
Peston, who is also an ambassador for the Jewish News, told the Gazette: “It is vitally important that the international media be able to enter Gaza, to provide trustworthy impartial reports on globally significant events, and ease the burden on local reporters.
“The fact the signatories are Jewish does not give us more authority to call for this than other journalists would have, and we obviously don’t speak for the Jewish community. But our hope is that our voices may be heard by the Israeli and Egyptian governments.”
