Israel's main media sources yesterday signed an agreement written by the IDF spokesman promising not to follow Gilad Shalit and his family or publish new pictures or video clips for ten days. The Israel Journalists Association and Shalit's family welcomed the agreement. The agreement does not apply to the foreign media in Israel.
The agreement states, "This agreement does not dim, even by an iota, the eternal flame of the public's right to know. Its sole purpose is to achieve a proper balance between this paramount right and the right of Sergeant Major Gilad Shalit and his family to their privacy. This privacy is essential, partly for the family's rehabilitation, and the recovery and health of Gilad from his long period in captivity."
The parties to the agreement are Hebrew dailies "Yediot Ahronot", "Haaretz", "Maariv", "Israel Today", and "The Jerusalem Post", weekly "Makor Rishon", the websites of "Haaretz", "Yediot Ahronot's" ynet, and "Ma'ariv's" nrg, “IDF Radio" (Galei Zahal), and TV stations Channel 2, Channel 10, and Russian-language cable station Channel 9.
The Israel Broadcasting Authority did not sign the agreement, because Channel 1 and "Kol Israel" - the Voice of Israel operate according to the authority's code of ethics.
In an appeal to the foreign media, Government Press Office director Oren Helman said, "Pursuant to the commitment of the Israeli media, I would thank you if would refrain from publishing either stills photographs or video footage that infringe on the privacy of Sgt. 1st Class Gilad Shalit for the 10 days following his release, except for those instances in which the approval of the Shalit family has been received. My appeal to you is a request only; of course, you are free to act according to your professional considerations."
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