Ashraf AboArafe
In accordance with Resolution 508 of the Council of Arab Information Ministers, dated 22 September 2022, during its 52nd session held in Cairo, 11 May has been designated as a day of global solidarity with Palestinian media. The date coincides with the anniversary of the Israeli occupation forces’ assassination of journalist Sherine Abu Aqla while she was carrying out her journalistic duties with the Al Jazeera media network channel.
On this occasion, Ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattabi, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Media and Communication Sector, said that this decision symbolises a powerful demonstration of solidarity with the Palestinian media community. This solidarity is particularly significant given the ongoing developments in the Palestinian cause and the continued Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip. Since October, this aggression has resulted in the deaths of over 34,000 individuals, including 142 journalists. This figure exceeds the total number of journalists who lost their lives in areas of armed conflict worldwide in 2023, which stood at 99 journalists, according to the US Committee to Protect Journalists.
Ambassador Khattabi reaffirmed the unwavering solidarity of the League of Arab States with the Palestinian media. He emphasised the urgent need to safeguard Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip, as well as in towns and cities across the West Bank, including the occupied city of Jerusalem. It is imperative to ensure their physical and moral safety in accordance with the principles of international humanitarian law, given the grave violations they face, including killings, arrests, raids, and censorship, he added.
The Ambassador denounced the recent arbitrary decision by Israeli authorities to close Al Jazeera channel, along with the confiscation of its equipment. He viewed these actions as illegal measures against Palestinian media and other media institutions, constituting a blatant violation of international conventions. Such violations contravene fundamental rights enshrined in documents like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and subsequent international declarations promoting freedom of opinion and access to information. Notably, these violations stand in direct opposition to the UN Plan of Action on Creating a Free and Safe Environment for Journalists and the “Declaration of Principles of the International Federation of Journalists for the Practice of the Profession of Journalism.”
Ambassador Khattabi urged human rights organisations, media platforms, and digital networks worldwide that advocate for press freedom to take concrete steps in solidarity and to intensify efforts to hold perpetrators accountable. He stressed the importance of protecting Palestinian journalists and other individuals who fulfil their professional duty by reporting on the realities of this unequal conflict. These people operate in a confined geographical area fraught with dangers that endanger the lives of civilians, including journalists and their families.
