The Journalist Support Committee: the Occupation's Ban on Al-Quds TV Channel Calls for the Support of the Palestinian Media in all Forums and Arab and International Bodies

The Journalist Support Committee in Palestine strongly condemned the Israeli occupation authorities' ban on Al-Quds TV channel and prevented any collaborated work with it in both Jerusalem and the occupied territories of 1948 by journalists and media companies under the pretext of "inciting terrorism".

On July 10, 2018, the Committee asserted that the occupation seeks to undermine media freedoms in the Palestinian territories by preventing coverage, persecuting journalists, arresting and shooting them and preventing them from moving freely through the crossing borders.

The Committee confirmed that it monitored a significant increase in the infringement of media freedoms in the Palestinian territories by the occupation, especially in the Gaza Strip, where about 180 journalists were injured. Two journalists were killed: Yaser Murtaja and Ahmed Abu Hussein who were shot by the Israeli occupation while covering the March of Return.

The Committee stressed that the ban on Al-Quds TV channel is a relentless attack on every Palestinian voice, and a new attempt to obliterate the truth and obfuscate the crimes of the occupation against the Palestinian people, which constitutes a blatant violation of the freedom of opinion and expression and the press, and is contrary to all international laws and conventions. Such crimes evoke the need to support the Palestinian media, by all media institutions worldwide, in all Arab and international communities and forums to ensure its proper and effective functioning.

The committee called on the press institutions to provide all necessary support to the employees of Al-Quds TV channel that help maintain their media message despite the occupation's punitive measures.

The Committee commended the professional and media role of Al-Quds TV, which has disturbed the security system of the occupation, which has practised, according to journalistic and international human rights organization reports, terrorism and killing spree against children, women, journalists and civilians during the Marches of Return that has erupted last March 2018, nonchalant to the international community's stance or international laws and regulations.

The Committee stressed that this action will not prevent the Palestinian media and Al-Quds TV from coverage and disseminate its media message, but will give it greater motivation to continue to work professionally to convey the suffering of the Palestinian people and the reality of the developments on the ground.

Journalist Support Committee - Palestine
10 July 2018