Israel detaining 17 Palestinian journalists, media professionals: NGO

There are 17 Palestinian media professionals, including journalists currently detained in Israeli jails, a Geneva-based foundation said on Saturday.

Of these, seven are serving prison sentences, with five detained under Israel's controversial administrative detention programme and another five yet to receive a verdict, the pan-Arab Journalists' Support Committee (JSC) revealed, Anadolu Agency reported.

Under administrative detention, Israel holds Palestinians without ringing charges against them or try them in court.

"The occupation [Israel] practices organized state terrorism against the Palestinian media in an… attempt to silence the Palestinian media and undermine the steadfastness of the Palestinian people" the JSC said.

The rights group cautioned Israel concerning "the delay in issuing verdicts against the prisoners who have been detained for several years without charge".

It called this "a blatant violation of international law and human rights".

There were around 4,600 Palestinians in Israel's jails on 5 January, Palestinian detainees' rights group Addameer said.

Among these were 160 children and 500 people being held under administrative detention.

Israel implements a military judicial system against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, despite illegal settlers being tried under civilian law.