What the hell is going on in the West Bank?

Nearly three years since Israel's war in Gaza commenced, journalists have faced restrictions in accessing the West Bank to independently report on the extensive damage, ongoing humanitarian crisis, and Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) control over more than half of the territory. Histadrut national union official Peter Lerner, who previously served as the IDF's spokesperson to international media until 2024, attributes the IDF's reluctance to permit journalists to the war's prolonged duration and Israel's growing isolation from the global community.

Lerner expressed concern that delaying journalist access for such an extended period may be detrimental to Israel, as it implies a cover-up of negative consequences. He and host Amir Tibon also discussed the passive role of Israeli soldiers and their involvement in settler-led attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, as well as the government's role in fostering a culture of impunity.

Tibon, a Kibbutz Nahal Oz resident, recounted the traumatic experience of witnessing settler violence against helpless families. State-backed settler violence has intensified against journalists as well, as evidenced by the recent attack on Haaretz correspondent Matan Golan and photographer Itai Ron by settlers besieging Palestinian homes in Qusra, near Nablus.

IDF soldiers were present during the attack, yet they did not intervene. Abby Seitz, a features editor at Haaretz, recounted her own experiences, including threats, illegal orders from soldiers, and outright lies, during a single day in the southern West Bank last month, where she and reporter Nagham Zbeedat covered the community's one-year anniversary of Awdah Hathaleen's death at the hands of internationally sanctioned settler leader Yinon Levi.

Despite the state's stance against such gatherings, being seen as a demonstration of support for a terrorist neutralized, the police spokesperson claimed the memorial was unlawful. This behavior is not unique to Israeli journalists and extends to Palestinian journalists, who have been held in administrative detention for months without charges for simply filming the ongoing events in the West Bank.