Israel Shuts Out World Press

[FarCenter]

By SPIEGEL Staff http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,601217,00.html

The Israelis have shut the world press out of the Gaza Strip, forcing journalists to rely on Arab media and informants on the ground. The situation is making objective reporting on the war close to impossible.

Danny Seaman stands on a low hill in southern Israel. His legs are set wide, and his whole face is beaming. Whatever he is looking at is clearly filling him with satisfaction.

While a crowd of journalists scurries around the hill, television cameras stand at the ready and the logos of major television channels glint from the satellite dishes mounted atop broadcast vans. The area is swarming with photographers who sit and wait like paparazzi camped outside a celebrity villa -- except that the situation here isn't quite so glamorous. With little to see, the general mood is one of annoyance. And that's exactly how Seaman likes it. After all, he doesn't like these foreign observers very much.

Seaman is the director of Israel's Government Press Office. The Israeli government has barred all media coverage from the Gaza Strip, which has forced correspondents from around the world to take up position here, one kilometer (0.62 miles) back from the border. In the distance, they can make out the silhouette of Gaza City. And they can see the smoke that rises after each air strike, too.

At the moment, this hill provides the best view of the war available -- and it's the Israeli view. The journalists are close enough to film the impact of Israeli bombs but too far away to see the Palestinian casualties.

Our Way or No Way

"I'm happy that you are here," says Seaman, with barely concealed scorn, as he greets the assembled journalists. In front of him stands CNN's star reporter Christiane Amanpour. Next to her are her colleagues from the BBC and two dozen other television channels. Then Seaman lets everyone know what he expects from them: "You're here, and you are covering our side."

<snip>

[OneBlueSky]

1. well . . . usually, if there's something they don't want you to see . . .

it's something that should be seen . . .

[bkcc]

2. God forbid that anyone document the madness.

It's really tragic.

[spanone]

3. bu$hco has taught them well