Please write to your MP to urge them to sign Early Day Motion 1926 on Mohammed Omer, the Palestinian journalist who was assaulted by Israeli forces while trying to re-enter the occupied Palestinian territories.
EDM 1926: FREEDOM OF JOURNALISTS AND THE MEDIA IN ISRAEL
Tabled on 1 July 2008 by Colin Breed MP
"That this House condemns the actions of the Israeli security forces with regard to the Palestinian journalist and joint winner of the 2008 Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism, Mohammed Omer, who after briefing Members of Parliament on the situation in the Gaza Strip, attempted to re-enter the Occupied Territories via the Allenby Bridge and was interrogated at the crossing, strip-searched at gunpoint and beaten for four hours resulting in hospitalisation after he lost consciousness; expresses concern that harassment, intimidation and even killing of journalists has been too frequent an occurrence, particularly since the outbreak of the Intifada in 2000; calls on Israel and all other parties to uphold the freedom of journalists to report; further calls on the Israeli government to launch a full independent inquiry, to compensate Mohammed Omer in full for his injuries; and urges the Government to raise this issue with the government of Israel at the earliest opportunity."
A list of MPs who have already signed the EDM is available at:
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=36248&SESSION=891
For advice on how to locate and contact your MP, click on:
http://tinyurl.com/48ywba
For background, please see:
Israelis assault award-winning Palestinian journalist
http://tinyurl.com/4dhw6q
Gaza reporter: Israeli security officials broke my ribs
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/997593.html
Anger at harassment of Palestinian journalists at Israel checkpoints
http://tinyurl.com/4zh3db
From triumph to torture: Israel's treatment of an award-winning young Palestinian journalist is part of a terrible pattern - by John Pilger
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/02/israelandthepalestinians.civilliberties
What is an EDM?
EDM is a colloquial term for a notice of motion given by an MP for which no date has been fixed for debate. EDMs exist to allow MPs to put on record their opinion on a subject and canvass support for it from fellow MPs. In effect, the primary function of an EDM is to form a kind of petition that MPs can sign. It can act as a useful lobbying tool if the EDM gains a large number of signatures.