Your Excellency,

The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, leading journalists and media executives in over 112 countries, is concerned by the apparent lack of an investigation into an attack that took place against a journalist in Bethlehem in mid-August.

On 18 August, unidentified assailants went to the house of Al-Mahed (Nativity) TV Station General Manager, Samir Qumsieh, and threw two burning Molotov cocktails onto the cars parked in Qumsieh’s garden.

One of the bottles fell on the wet grass of the garden, and the other bottle burned out before exploding. Were it not for this, the assault could have caused considerable harm to Qumsieh and his family who were asleep inside the house.

Immediately following the attack, Qumsieh notified Palestinian Authority officials and security bodies, but over one month later, IPI has yet to see any tangible sign that the Palestinian Authorities are taking the attack seriously.

This is not the first time that Qumsieh has come under attack. In recent years he has received death threats on a number of occasions, warning him to “suppress his voice” and referring to him as a “Christian activist.” Although each of these threats were reported to security bodies at the time of their occurrence, the results of any investigations have not been publicized and no action has been taken against the perpetrators.

IPI would respectfully remind Your Excellency, that journalists and other citizens have an internationally protected right to free expression and press freedom. Persons intent on using violence and intimidation should not be allowed to stifle these rights.

With this in mind, IPI calls on Your Excellency to do everything possible to see that those who attacked Qumsieh’s home are identified and prosecuted for their actions. We would also invite you to ensure that if such threats or attacks on journalists working within the Palestinian Authority should take place in the future, they are investigated with the seriousness that they deserve.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Johann P. Fritz
Director