Journalists Denounce Arafat's Censors By Christopher Walker, The Times of London 21 December 1998 Leading international media organisations yesterday denounced draconian attempts by Yassir Arafat's Palestinian Authority to censor the reporting of pro-Iraqi demonstrations that have swept through self-rule areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Their action came as Israel's Cabinet voted yesterday to suspend the Wye peace deal until Palestinians meet conditions set by Binyamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister. Today he faces a Knesset confidence vote which could bring about the Government's defeat. The pro-Saddam protests among the 2.5 million Palestinians in the territories still controlled overall by Israel were matched by violent pro-Sad-dam riots across the Arab world, with US and British property the target of attacks by mobs in Syria. Last night, the Syrian Foreign Ministry apologised for Saturday's violence and promised to improve security around the US and British missions. But no mention was made of compensation for damage incurred, including that inflicted on books and furniture in the offices of the British Council. The London-based Al-Hayat paper reported that an extreme Islamic militant group,Islamic Jihad-Vanguards of Conquest, had threatened to avenge the American and British air attacks on Iraq. Eight Palestinian journalists in Gaza affiliated with the American ABC, the French Antenne 2 and the German ARD television networks were held after filming the burning of US flags in contravention of an order from Mr Arafat, who is embarassed in the wake of President Clinton's de facto support for a Palestinian state. The Gaza offices of Associated Press, the US news agency, were also sealed by the Palestinian security forces for the same reason. In the West Bank, five local Palestinian television stations were also shut to prevent their coverage of the pro-Saddam protests, which often turned violent. The bans were lifted after the end of Operation Desert Fox was announced, but Mahed TV in Bethlehem refused to reopen until it was given a more complete explanation for the closure order. Samir Musia, the station's owner, said: "They have to give me a logical explanation; until then I will stay closed." In a letter to Mr Arafat, the Tel-Aviv based Foreign Press Association, which represents 250 journalists and television organisations from all over the world, said of the closure of the AP office in Gaza: "President Clinton himself would be most dismayed to learn that his country's main news outlet has been banned from operating in an area to which he has paid such a significant visit." The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists also protested against the curbs on coverage. It urged Mr Arafat to allow the offices to reopen and denounced "attempts to silence independent journalism in violation of the right to free expression". The Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate said in a statement that the closing of offices and the detention of the journalists was a violation of their basic rights. It said its members would strike and stage a sit-in at the Palestinian Legislature in Ramallah today. A common theme of the Arab protests, which Arab diplomats believe would have become much more serious had the raids on Iraq continued further into Ramadan, was that all Arabs, not just Saddam, were being targeted by the US and British attacks. |
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