A veteran journalist contrasts the relative freedom of reporting on the 1973 Yom Kippur War in Israel with the severe restrictions faced by foreign media in the current Israel-Gaza conflict. Foreign journalists are denied access to Gaza, forcing them to rely on local sources and remote commentary, which the author argues leads to a lack of independent verification, increased propaganda, and damages the Israeli Defense Forces' (IDF) diplomatic standing.
In 1973, I reported freely on Israel at war. Now its censorship has made that impossible
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A veteran journalist contrasts the relative freedom of reporting on the 1973 Yom Kippur War in Israel with the severe restrictions faced by foreign media in the current Israel-Gaza conflict. Foreign journalists are denied access to Gaza, forcing them to rely on local sources and remote commentary, which the author argues leads to a lack of independent verification, increased propaganda, and damages the Israeli Defense Forces' (IDF) diplomatic standing.
Trending- 1 1948: War, Latrun salient was a Jordanian outpost.
- 2 1967: Six-Day War; author visited Gaza and West Bank.
- 3 1968: Author interviewed Gen Haim Bar-Lev and visited Jerusalem.
- 4 October 1973: Yom Kippur War; author reported freely from the Suez Canal and Golan Heights.
- 5 Current (this week): Foreign media are denied access to Gaza, reporting remotely.
- 6 Wednesday (this week): Jeremy Bowen commented on Israel's media restrictions.
- Lack of independent verification of events in Gaza
- Increased reliance on potentially biased sources (e.g., Hamas-run health ministry)
- Rise of rumor and falsehood in war reporting
- Damage to the IDF's diplomatic standing
- Calls for Israel to relax media access rules
What: The author's comparison of press freedom and access for foreign journalists in Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War versus the current Israel-Gaza conflict.
When: October 1973 (Yom Kippur War), 1967 (Six-Day War), 1968, and current (published June 6, 2025).
Where: Israel, Gaza, Suez Canal, Sinai, Golan Heights, Jerusalem, Emmaus, Latrun salient, West Bank (Qalqilya), Herzliya, Ashkelon, London.
Why: The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) currently denies foreign media access to the Gaza Strip, which the author believes is to prevent observation of their actions, leading to a loss of independent verification and a rise in rumor and falsehood.
How: By comparing personal experiences of reporting with relative freedom and IDF cooperation in 1973 to the current situation where foreign journalists are restricted to 'hill of shame' overlooking Gaza, relying on social media and local sources.