Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), ranking member of the House Rules Committee and co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Committee, and 64 Democratic colleagues penned a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling for Washington to pressure Israel to allow journalists more access to Gaza.
The 65 members of Congress expressed “deep concern” about “ongoing restrictions on media access in Gaza, which have persisted since the outbreak of hostilities one year ago.”
“It is imperative that the United States urge Israel to allow independent access for U.S. and international journalists, in the interest of transparency, accountability and the fundamental principle of press freedom,” they added. They accused Israel of placing an “overwhelming burden” on local journalists, who “are documenting the war they are living through.”
The members of Congress who signed the letter—including the anti-Israel lawmakers Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Jamaal Bowman (N.Y.), Pramila Jayapal (Wash.), Cori Bush (Mo.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.)—did not mention Hamas or the hostages that the U.S. designated terror group continues to hold in Gaza.
Israel has accused several Gaza reporters, including those who work for major news organizations, of having direct ties to Palestinian terror organizations.
According to the 65 members of Congress, Israel’s actions “undermine the very foundation of press freedom and democratic accountability.”
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who is Jewish, also signed the letter.
