By KUNA,
Paris : An international press freedom organization welcomed here recent statements by the leaders of the two main Palestinian parties that have raised hopes of an end to the conflict between them.
In light of these developments, Reporters Without Borders called for the news media that
have been closed since the start of the clashes to be “allowed” to resume operating.
The Organization said that “No fewer than 17 news media have been forced to stop working since June 2007, when Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian Authority withdrew to the West Bank.” “Many journalists have been harassed during this period for working for a news outlet affiliated to the opposing party,” it indicated.
It added that “the use of the news media in this political combat has made their employees more vulnerable throughout the Palestinian Territories.” The Organization stressed “The fratricidal struggle between Fatah and Hamas that erupted nearly a year ago has had a dramatic impact on press freedom.” According to the Reporters Without Borders, Palestinian journalists have been arrested “arbitrarily and in some cases held for weeks.” “All the Palestinian media must now be allowed to resume operating with complete freedom,” it remarked.
The headquarters of the state-owned Palestine Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) in the Gaza Strip were closed down after the Hamas takeover and its employees were forced to stop working.
Similarly, the West Bank bureau of the Hamas TV station Al-Aqsa were also forced to close whereas the PBC continues to broadcast from studios in the West Bank.
Both the Palestinian Authority’s security forces and the Hamas Executive Force were included in the Reporters Without Borders list of “Predators of Press Freedom” when the annual update was issued in May.