Extremely Important Information Regarding The Coverage Of The Disengagement

2005-08-12

www.idf.il

Dear Members of the Foreign Press,

We wish to inform you of the various opportunities we have arranged for press coverage of the Disengagement which begins next week.

Officially, the settlement area of the Gaza Strip becomes a closed military zone on Sunday night August 14 at midnight. Entry and presence in the Gaza Strip from that point on is prohibited to all civilians, including journalists, unless they are escorted by the IDF.

(Many journalists who are in the settlement had expressed their desire to stay beyond August 14, and in conjunction with the Foreign Press Association, we were able to obtain permission for those journalists who applied to remain in place. Those journalists who have applied and obtain permission will be notified. Unfortunately we are unable to take further requests at this time)

Other journalists interested in entering the Gaza Strip are still able to register to join IDF shuttles which will take journalists very early Monday morning from the Press Center at the Eshkol Regional Council into the Gaza Strip. Please be advised that press is requested to register with the IDF Spokesperson's Office along the following guidelines:

Shuttles will be leaving on the 15th at 3:00 A.M. to all settlements in Gaza with the option of leaving on Monday the 15th at around 22:00. Press wishing to remain until the 16th at 22:00 is welcome to do so with prior notification to the IDF Spokesperson's Office. Please be advised that all press present in the area past the 15th without prior coordination with the IDF are doing so illegally.

The shuttle system leaving on the 17th is a different service coordinated through the FPA.

The press center at Eshkol will open on Sunday August 14 at noon. We will send an e-mail on Sunday with all the phone numbers and information regarding the center.

Furthermore, we will facilitate coverage of the evacuation of settlements, scheduled to begin on Wednesday morning, with shuttles to settlements being evacuated. Unfortunately, on these shuttles space is very limited; we are working in conjunction with the FPA to arrange the shuttles.

All journalists who wish to remain or enter the Gaza Strip after Sunday August 14 must sign the included waivers, as the area becomes a closed military zone. These waivers (one to be signed by the journalist, the other to be signed by the news organization) are similar to ones journalists were requested to sign during the last month to enter Gaza. In addition, there is a document of clarifying the rules of media coverage during the disengagement which press is asked also to read, sign and return to our office via fax.

These documents will also be available at the Press Center and on the IDF website. Please be advised that signing these documents is a prerequisite to presence in Gaza after Sunday August 14.

Extremely important: All press is advised that under no circumstance should they remain in the Gaza settlements after Sunday August 14 with vehicles or any heavy equipment which they cannot carry on their person on they day of evacuation.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

We look forward to working with you during these challenging times

Maj. Sharon Feingold, Head of Foreign Press and Public Affairs

[Permits A, B and C must be signed and sent of brought to the IDF Media Center at Eshkol Regional Council. Permit D will be issued for a specific date and signed by the commander on the day of entry into Gaza.]

Media Representatives - Limitation of Entry into Houses and Maintaining of Residents' Right to Privacy

Dear member of the Foreign Press,

I hereby wish to clarify that media representatives joining the training exercises in preparation for the evacuation and the evacuation operation carried out by security forces during the implementation of the Disengagement Plan, and the general press, are not permitted to enter private homes along with the security forces; this regulation in an effort to, among other reasons, maintain the privacy of the evacuees.

It should be stressed that the media representative will be responsible for keeping with the above instructions and maintaining the residents' personal right to privacy during his/her coverage of the event. This will be done without harming the ability of the media representatives to act in accordance with the law.

Sincerely,

Brig. Gen. Miri Regev, IDF Spokeswoman

Media Coverage in the Areas Due to be Evacuated - Terms and Regulations

Dear Bureau Chiefs/ Editors,

The presence of media representatives in the areas planned for evacuation is for the sole purpose of covering the evacuation and will be allowed in accordance with maintaining the terms and regulations specified in the attached document.

Media representatives who will not act in accordance with these terms and regulations will be subject to legal action which may conclude, in severe cases, with the revoking of the media representative's permit to enter the areas due to be evacuated.

The attached document is a legally binding statement to be signed and returned to the IDF Media & Communications Division at 08-9904951

Sincerely,

Brig. Gen. Miri Regev, IDF Spokeswoman

Source: IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis