A briefing on the media in Palestine
Media in Palestine had generally passed through three phases/ stages; namely the phase of post-occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1967 until the outbreak of the first Intifada in 1987 that was characterized of Israeli suppressing of freedoms , military censorship on the media and depriving /banning Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip from possessing any of the media means, while the second phase was during the first intifada in the period between 1987 and up to the advent of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in 1994 that was characterized by a concentration of world media on the Palestinian cause that accessed the Palestinians to participate in the media industry, and the third phase was after the advent of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA ) up to present, that was characterized by providing a wider area in expressing and possessing various media means although the media persons and various media means are still suffering from repression and suppression of freedoms and censorship in both wings of Palestine of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Women in the Media
Generally speaking, the image of women in the media is a stereotype image as of a victim and a promotional tool to promote goods and body exposure. Consequently, the need for changing this stereotype image and to portraying a real and balanced one in the media for both women and men as well, highlighting women’s roles in a more positive way to representing their activities and contributions to the development and transformation of Palestinian society through institutions and community networks where Palestinian women are peacefully struggling and fighting for their rights and dignity without any violence and contributing to the progress and development of their community and transforming it into a more egalitarian community and showing more solidarity among each other within the community as well.
Palestinian women are participating in the Palestinian national struggle at various levels and they are sometimes paying the price for that from their freedom and/or their lives. As well as, they are countering and combating Israeli occupation daily practices of demolishing homes and confiscating of lands and uprooting olive orchards, and preventing or restricting their free movement and travel. Sometimes, Palestinian women sufferings from Israeli closures and hostile measures are tougher and could be more than that of any Palestinian men, particularly when forced to give birth at Israeli military checkpoints or in homes without any good healthy preconditions and/or any medics attendance and supervision as they are prevented from their basic rights, Despite such suppressions, Palestinian women are trying to solve their daily problems and change their society without being well aware that they are distinguished and unique by such self denial activities. As well as, the media is not focusing on any of their self-denial activities which may enhance the traditional view about them.
