Name Mohammed Omer | Role Journalist | |
 | ||
Education Islamic University of Gaza | ||
Mohammed omer reports on occupied gaza
Mohammed Omer (Arabic: محمد عمر), (born 1984) is a Palestinian journalist. He has reported for numerous media outlets, including: The New York Times, the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs,; Al Jazeera; New Statesman; Pacifica Radio; Electronic Intifada; The Nation; Inter Press Service; Free Speech Radio News; Vermont Guardian; ArtVoice Weekly; the Norwegian Morgenbladet; and Dagsavisen; the Swedish dailies Dagen Nyheter; and Aftonbladet; the Swedish magazine Arbetaren; the Basque daily Berria; and the German daily Junge Welt; and the Finish magazine Ny Tid. He also founded the Rafah Today and the author of several books, including Shell-Shocked
Contents
- Mohammed omer reports on occupied gaza
- Mohammed omer at temple university 3 3 11 part 1
- Awards
- Background
- Incidents
- References
Mohammed omer at temple university 3 3 11 part 1
Awards
In 2008, Omer was awarded the 2007 Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism. In the award citation, Omer was honored as "the voice of the voiceless" and his reports were described as an "humane record of the injustice imposed on a community forgotten by much of the world.". Noam Chomsky said he had been following Omer's work for several years, and was pleased to learn of his award, "an honor that he richly deserves." He went on, he "...has continued his work with courage and integrity. It is no exaggeration to say that he can serve as a model of honorable journalism,". He was also awarded the Ossietzky Prize by Norwegian P.E.N in 2009. Norwegian P.E.N is a branch of P.E.N International. The Prize was awarded for "outstanding achievements within the field of free expression". He was also given an honorable mention in Pulse Media's 20 Top Global Media Figures of 2009.
Background
Omer was raised in the Rafah refugee camp at the southern end of the Gaza Strip near the Egyptian border. Mohammed began working to support his family at age six when his father was in an Israeli prison. In time, he landed a job at a backpack factory and since then has built an impressive resume as a translator, journalist, and program coordinator."
Mohammed graduated with dual Bachelor degrees, English and Literature, from the Islamic University of Gaza in June 2006.
Incidents
Israeli restrictions have sometimes stopped him travelling to the West Bank.
In 2008, while traveling back to the Gaza Strip via Allenby Bridge to the West Bank, Omer reported that he was stripped to his underwear, humiliated and beaten by Israeli soldiers while traveling into the West Bank from Jordan. According to a United Nations report, Mohammed Omer is convinced that the brutal assault occurred when the security services were frustrated at their inability to confiscate the money he had been awarded.
He was subsequently hospitalized upon his return to Gaza, where it was discovered that Omer had sustained several broken ribs and various bodily contusions as a result of the ordeal. Omer has recovered since and has been able to maintain his position as a journalist. The government of The Netherlands, who had sent a diplomat to welcome Omer and accompany him to Gaza, lodged an official protest with Israel about Omer's mistreatment.