…so says Daniel Seaman of the Israeli government press office.
Writing in the New York Times, Ethan Bronner postulates that this attitude may have its roots in Israel’s 2006 conflict with Hezbollah. Then, domestic and international journalists were given pretty much free reign, and now many in the IDF see this as a contributing factor in the failure of the campaign.
The IDF should, in theory, be allowing some journalists in to Gaza. An agreement was reached with the Foreign Press Association in which six randomly selected foreign reporters would be allowed across the border (as well as two selected by Israel). However, despite the arrangement, no-one has been allowed through. This morning, Israel’s ambassador in London, Ron Prosor, claimed the delay had been due to ‘infighting’ in the FPA, a charge the association strongly denies.
