Arab News Japan

TOKYO: The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan (FCCJ) adopted two resolutions on Friday – the first seeking protection for journalists reporting on the Gaza conflict, and the other condemning the incalculable number of civilian casualties, most of them Palestinians, killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza.

The first resolution stated that “The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan supports the call by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urging the United Nations Security Council to enforce its Resolution 2222 on the protection of journalists in Gaza. RSF has cited Israel’s failure to comply with its obligations to safeguard journalists under applicable international law. Resolution 2222 requires that measures be taken to protect ‘journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel’ in the field.”

The association pointed out that over 75 percent of the 99 journalists and media workers killed in 2023, died in the Israel-Gaza war, saying the conflict had claimed the lives of more journalists in three months than in any single country over an entire year.

The FCCJ statement said that the resolution “protects the freedom of war reporters to cover what is happening, and everyone’s right to news and information in wartime.”  Adding, “the killing and dehumanization of civilians, whether they are the victims of October 7 in Israel or the ongoing attack in Gaza.” The statement demanded action by the UN to enforce its resolution.

The second resolution said it supported the international community call that pressed for the United Nations Security Council to enforce its Resolution 2720 on the protection of civilians as well as the facilitation of immediate humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza.