MEP: Israel punishes Palestinian journalists for doing their job

"It is very clear that journalists are being punished [by Israel] for doing their work," MEP Auken said in a webinar co-organised by Euro-Med Monitor and RSF.

"This is one of Israel's brutal violations against media and journalists, and these practices are part of the broader violations of apartheid and occupation against Palestinians, in general," Auken added.

She continued: "It is clear that the EU countries are not shouldering their responsibilities towards Israeli violations."

In December, Euro-Med Monitor and RSF launched the campaign #LetMajdoleenOut on social media. The campaign came following a travel ban imposed by Israel on Palestinian journalist, Majdoleen Hassona, winner of RSF Press Freedom Prize for Independence.

Due to the travel ban placed on Majdoleen Hassona two years ago by the Israeli occupation authorities, she was deprived from leaving the occupied West Bank and travel back to Istanbul, where she works for the Turkish public broadcaster, TRT.

She was also deprived from collecting her RSF award.