Palestinian journalists operating in both Gaza and the West Bank are subject to high levels of intimidation, according to a report published Tuesday in Al-Monitor. The report cited a study by the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms from 2014, which “found that 80% of Palestinian journalists in the West Bank...

Although hailed in the West as a potential reformer, the tenure of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has seen freedom of the press in Iran only deteriorate, according to both state officials and reports in the Iranian media. Tehran MP Ali Motahari said on January 30 that under the Rouhani administration self-censorship...

Prof. William Schabas, the controversial head of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) commission charged with investigating charges of war crimes alleged against Israel during Operation Protective Edge last summer, has resigned amid growing indications of bias. Reuters reports: In a letter to the commission, a copy of which was seen...

A judicial official told Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) that the government will “soon” put Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian on trial for as-yet disclosed charges after more than six months of detention, the Post reported Wednesday. The IRNA report quoted Gholam Hossein Esmaeili, a senior judicial official, as saying Rezaian “will be tried soon,”...

Israeli ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer highlighted Israel’s role as refuge for every Jew in a speech delivered Sunday. Dermer noted that possibly as much as 3% of France’s Jewish population could move to Israel in 2015 and asked rhetorically, “Despite all the concerns regarding the future of...

The terrorist organization Hamas published photos (Arabic link) on Sunday showing Palestinian minors dressed in military uniforms and being given weapons training with assault rifles. This training is part of military youth camps which Hamas opened throughout the Gaza Strip under the name “Pioneers of Independence.” The camps are designated...