Ban on foreign journalists passing reports to Israeli news media

Reporters Without Borders today urged Kuwaiti information minister Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahd Al-Sabah to withdraw his threats against foreign journalists based in Kuwait who pass information to Israeli news media. The organisation also asked him to ensure that visas and accreditation are issued promptly to Israeli journalists requesting them. "Despite the lack of diplomatic relations between Israel and Kuwait, it is unthinkable that the Israeli news media should suffer as a result of international tension and be prevented from using reports supplied by other media," Reporters Without Borders secretary general Robert Ménard said in a letter to the information minister. "Kuwait would bring credit upon itself if it were to cease discrimination against Israeli media and journalists, which violates the free flow of information," Ménard added. On 8 March, the Kuwaiti authorities cautioned foreign media against any form of cooperation with Israeli news media, threatening journalists with legal action if they did not heed the warning. According to the US authorities, about 1,000 journalists from around the world have been accredited with the allied forces stationed in Kuwait but there are no Israeli journalists among them.