- Gideon Levy of Haaretz received the 2026 PEC Award for his independent and critical analysis of the conflict in Israel and Gaza.
- The Geneva-based organization honored Levy’s courage in questioning military policies and defending press freedom despite facing significant personal risks.
- PEC highlights that Levy’s work is essential for documenting military conduct and upholding fundamental principles of impartiality and transparency.
- The annual prize recognizes journalists protecting media rights in violent contexts, following previous recipients such as Palestinian journalist Iyad Alasttal.
Geneva: The 2026 Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) Award was presented to Israeli journalist Gideon Levy, a member of the editorial board of the daily newspaper Haaretz. The Geneva-based media safety and rights organization sought to recognize Levy’s independence and critical analysis during the dramatic period Israel has experienced since 7 October 2023.
The Prize for the Protection of Journalists has been awarded annually since 2009 by the PEC to an individual or organization that has distinguished itself in defending press freedom in contexts of armed violence.
Septuagenarian journalist Gideon Levy has denounced Israeli policies regarding Gaza and the West Bank, taking significant personal risks, both for himself and for the editorial staff of Haaretz. His weekly column, Twilight Zone, which focuses on the activities of the Israeli military, is an example of critical journalism during wartime. In Israel, he is regularly criticized by opponents who accuse him of supporting the Palestinians.
“By awarding him the PEC Prize, we want to show that it is possible, even in a country at war, to take a critical stance and defend fundamental principles of press freedom, such as independence, impartiality, and transparency. Gideon Levy’s courageous struggle is exemplary in this regard,” said PEC chief Blaise Lempen at the award ceremony.
Independently documenting the conduct of military operations is essential to subsequently shedding light on possible violations of international humanitarian law and combating impunity.
In 2024, the PEC awarded its annual prize to Palestinian journalist Iyad Alasttal, a journalist from Gaza who sought refuge in France. Independent of Hamas, he continues to document the suffering of the Palestinian people.
“We felt it was all the more necessary to honor an Israeli journalist given that Israel is just a few weeks away from elections that will be decisive for its future,” emphasized Blaise Lempen. He added that the PEC hopes Israelis and Palestinians will achieve peaceful coexistence by turning their backs on extremists on all sides.
Last year, the PEC Award was presented to Kurdish journalist Perihan Kaya, while in 2024, the award was given to Iyad Alasttal, a journalist from Gaza. In previous years, the annual award went to Arnaud Ouédraogo (2023), Ekaterina Glikman (2022), Nava Thakuria (2021), and others.
The PEC was founded 22 years ago in Geneva during the Iraq War to strengthen the protection of journalists in conflict zones. Since 2004, journalists have frequently been targeted by warring parties in conflicts including the wars in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Sudan, as well as in the fight against drug traffickers in Mexico.
