Arab Media Ministers Demand Documentation of Israeli Occupation Crimes Against Palestinian Journalists and Accountability for Perpetrators
صورة: وكالة الأنباء الكويتية (كونا)
Arab media ministers, in a statement concluding their 56th session, called on Arab and international bodies to intensify efforts to document Israeli occupation crimes against Palestinian journalists and hold perpetrators accountable, reaffirming continued support for the Palestinian cause.
Translated by Qiyas from كونا — Original source
Cairo, November 4 (KUNA) -- Arab ministers of media called on Wednesday for Arab and international bodies concerned to intensify their efforts to document violations and crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against Palestinian journalists and the Palestinian people, and to exert pressure to ensure accountability for those responsible. This was stated in a statement issued at the conclusion of the 56th ordinary session of the Arab Ministers of Media Council, held with the participation of a Kuwaiti delegation led by Omar Al-Amer, Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Affairs and Acting Minister of Media and Culture.
The statement noted that the Council reviewed developments regarding the Palestinian issue and recent developments in the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory since 1967, as well as ways to enhance its presence in Arab and international media discourse. It reaffirmed that the Palestinian issue will remain the central Arab issue, reiterating support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among which is their right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The Council commended the efforts of the Palestinian leadership, represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) – the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, under the presidency of Mahmoud Abbas, in continuing political and diplomatic initiatives at the Arab and international levels, mobilizing support for the Palestinian cause, and defending the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people for freedom and independence.
It expressed deep concern over the crimes of aggression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing committed by Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as measures aimed at altering the demographic composition of the holy city, erasing its historical and legal character, Judaizing its landmarks, and falsifying its history and civilizational heritage.
The Council condemned the dangerous conditions faced by Palestinian journalists due to direct targeting, killing, injury, arrest, and harassment by Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. It stressed that since the start of the Israeli occupation’s aggression on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, more than 260 journalists have been martyred in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
It emphasized the necessity of providing protection for Palestinian journalists, ensuring their safety, and offering the necessary support to them and to Palestinian media institutions, enabling them to continue fulfilling their professional mission and conveying the truth about what is happening on the ground. It stressed the importance of intensifying international efforts to hold accountable those responsible for crimes committed against journalists and taking practical measures to prevent impunity, warning that the continuation of these violations threatens press freedom and encourages further perpetration.
The Council praised the efforts of Palestinian media in reporting on the aggression and violations faced by the Palestinian people and documenting the crimes committed against them, despite the martyrdom of hundreds of Palestinian journalists while carrying out their media mission. It also commended the efforts of Arab media outlets in following up on developments in the occupied Palestinian territory and conveying events and the suffering of the Palestinian people to the Arab and international public.
It called on Arab media to continue their role in raising awareness among the Arab and international public about the reality of what is happening in Palestine, enhancing the presence of the Palestinian narrative, and countering disinformation campaigns and the falsification of facts. It highlighted the importance of intensifying media coverage of field, humanitarian, and political developments in the occupied Palestinian territory, which contributes to highlighting systematic violations against the Palestinian people, drawing attention to the targeting of journalists, and keeping pace with the growing international support for the Palestinian cause.
He also emphasized the importance of coordinating Arab media initiatives to support Palestinian efforts at international forums, counter attempts to distort the narrative and history, and preserve the historical and legal status of Jerusalem and its holy sites. He highlighted the need to strengthen cooperation among Arab media institutions to develop a professional, compelling, and internationally open media discourse that reflects the reality on the ground in the occupied Palestinian territories. He also called for coordinating Arab initiatives aimed at providing various forms of support to Palestinian journalists and media institutions, in collaboration with the Arab League Secretariat, member states, and relevant organizations. In this context, he pointed to the importance of enhancing coordination with relevant professional unions, Arab League delegations abroad, embassies, the Arab Radio and Television Union, and Arab news agencies, in order to unify Arab efforts and expand the scope of media mobilization in support of the Palestinian cause. (End) M.M. / M.A.A.
