CAIRO, June 25 (MENA) - Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Media and Communication Sector at the Arab League (AL) ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattabi, emphasized the necessity of strengthening Arab and international solidarity with Palestinian media.

In statements made Wednesday on the sidelines of the 25th session of the Arab States Broadcasting Union, currently being held in the city of Hammamet in Tunisia, following a presentation by the head of Palestinian official media, Minister Ahmed Assaf, the AL secretary general said, media serves as a vital platform for supporting political, diplomatic and legal efforts to garner greater support for the Palestinian cause.

Khattabi voiced appreciation for the Palestinian official’s praise of the Arab League’s media sector and its active and coordinated efforts in support of Palestinian media.

He added that the Israeli occupation has, for decades, committed systematic and grave violations, including arrests, restrictions, censorship and blocking of Palestinian media outlets.

The pan-Arab body's official described the devastating war on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7, 2023, and led to the targeting of 230 journalists, as making this small geographic area the most dangerous place for journalists. Khattabi called it an unprecedented criminal violation of international law and conventions that guarantee the protection of civilians, including journalists, during times of war.

The head of the Media and Communication Sector highlighted the establishment of the International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian Media (May 11 each year) as a powerful message that the Palestinian cause is not solely an Arab issue, but a global one that affects the conscience of humanity due to the extreme injustice faced by the Palestinian people.

Khattabi pointed out that the AL took the initiative to organize a seminar - with the participation of elite media professionals, diplomats and academics - immediately following the aggression on Gaza to counter Israel’s misleading claims. He referred to the erosion of that propaganda and the decline of its influence around the world due to the efforts of Palestinian media, backed by continued Arab and international support. The AL official also praised the directives of the Council of Arab Information Ministers, whether in terms of implementing the Arab media strategy or advancing the Arab media action plan.

In this context, Khattabi was informed of the Palestinian proposal to hold perpetrators of crimes against journalists accountable by establishing a “special international criminal court.” He affirmed the urgent need to finalize a comprehensive Arab negotiation strategy to more effectively engage with the major global media corporations and protect Palestinian and Arab media content. (MENA)

S A S/M O H