24 Aug 11 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
The Freedom Theatre in Jenin’s refugee camp came under attack by the the Israel Defence Force in the early morning of 22 August. Having been notified that soldiers were surrounding the theatre, Acting General Manager Jacob Gough arrived at the scene, where he was confronted by armed soldiers. He was detained following his attempts to get closer to the theatre. A security guard was also physically attacked and his home was raided by soldiers, who reportedly fired live ammunition in an attempt to disperse the crowd that had gathered around the house. This is the third time the theatre has been targeted in the last month. In April, its general manager Juliano Mer Khamis was gunned down by an unknown assassin.
24 Aug 11 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
On August 21, two Palestinian journalists, Usaid Abd Al Majid Amarana, of Al-Aqsa TV, and Amar Abu Urfa, a reporter for Shahab news agency, were arrested. Both journalists were seized by Israeli soldiers in their homes. According to reports, soldiers stormed and searched Amarana’s home. During the arrest, soldiers opened fire and wounded Amarana’s cousin. Urfa’s arrest in Hebron resembled that of Amarana.
19 Aug 11 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
The Palestinian attorney general has ordered a nightly satirical television show to be axed, following complaints from public servants and officials that they were being ridiculed. Watan ala Water (Country on a String) has become popular for its mockery of Palestinian leaders, officials, corruption, nepotism and social norms. Attorney general Ahmad Mughani said the the programme did not “serve the public interest”, was “harmful to Palestinian society” and had crossed “red lines”.
11 Jul 11 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost, News and features
The office of Ma’an Network, a news agency based in Gaza City, was attacked by masked assailants. According to local reports, staff at the main office saw the building on fire in the early hours of Sunday morning. After initial investigations, bottles of flammable liquids were found nearby. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate is calling for a full investigation.
