National Press Club Statement On Upcoming Visit of Israeli President Herzog

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Jul 17, 2023, 09:50 ET

WASHINGTON, July 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Following is a statement from Eileen O'Reilly, president of the National Press Club, and Gil Klein, president of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, on the upcoming visit by Israeli President Isaac Herzog to the White House and his address to Congress.

"It's past time for the State Department to declassify the report produced by the U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority on the 2022 shooting death of American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. U.S. lawmakers who reviewed the report said it supplies important details about the killing of Shireen, including on the Israel Defense Forces soldier who likely fired the bullet that killed Shireen, as well as on the conduct of other IDF units deployed in the West Bank.

"We hope Israeli President Isaac Herzog will use his visit to Washington to offer reassurances about Israel's commitment to democratic values, which include respect for the vital role an independent press corps plays in keeping the public informed. One way he could do that is by supporting a review, which the State Department has requested, of the IDF rules of engagement in the West Bank.

"At least 20 journalists — the majority Palestinian — have been killed by the IDF since 2001 and to date there has been no accountability, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. With violence once again on the rise in the West Bank, journalists covering these consequential events are coming under attack by both IDF forces and Israeli nationalists. We strongly urge President Joe Biden to demand accountability for Shireen and her family and to press for badly needed reforms for IDF rules of engagement."

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 3,000 members representing nearly every major news organization and is a leading voice for press freedom in the U.S. and worldwide.

The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged, global citizenry through an independent and free press and equips journalists with the skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. The NPCJI is the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club.

Contact: Bill McCarren, for the National Press Club, at (202) 662-7534

SOURCE National Press Club