Lana Shaheen: Palestinian journalists are torn

The Palestinian TV reporter in Gaza Lana Shaheen said that the Palestinian media, whether in the Gaza Strip or in West Bank, are negatively affected by the political division. She said in an exclusive interview with ‘Arabstoday’ that journalists in Gaza are lost between the syndicates in Gaza and West Bank.” “We have to deal with Gaza’s syndicate, at the same time the syndicate in Ramallah sends us warnings of not dealing with it,” she explained. She pointed out that the Palestinian journalist is afraid when writing  as if a policeman was in his or her head,” adding that “this happens because of the political division, which affected on the freedom of the press in Gaza and West Bank.” However, she denied that she had been exposed to harassment by the security services in Gaza; she confirmed that a large number of journalists subjected to harassment by security and were prevented of shooting or photographing during their work. Meanwhile, Shaheen confirmed that she never faced any difficulties because she doesn't wear veil in Gaza, saying “I work as a TV journalist for 15 years and I had never been harassed because of being ‘unveiled’, and what was said about women in Gaza are forced to wear veil is untrue.” She added that credibility and impartiality are the most important ways of journalists to face any assaults. Regarding her media coverage during the Israeli war against Gaza, Shaheen said that it was very tough experience, not because she feared of her life, but at the professional level it was very hard experience. “We had to do our job as reporters and deal with the war at the same time,” she explained. She added “we were not trained to be “war correspondents”, but the female reporters had proven their ability to work during the war, and they moved the feelings of the international community to support the Palestinian cause.” She stressed that Israel fears of the Palestinian journalists, and it deals with the camera as it is a gun; that’s why Israel was targeting Palestinian journalists, which led to raise the number of "martyrs" among the journalists during the war. In another context, Shaheen expressed her pessimism with regard to the Palestinian reconciliation, which was signed in Cairo between the Palestinian factions, especially Fatah and Hamas, saying “we felt encouraged at the beginning of reconciliation, but the last moment was frustrating.” She added that Palestinians will not convince of the reconciliation unless they feel the change.