Another Palestinian Media Outlet Shut Down; This Time in France
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his gratitude on Saturday to French President Francois Hollande after the French government shut down a Hamas television station.
Netanyahu had earlier urged Hollande to end the transmission of Al Aksa television, the Hamas-run channel that was being broadcast on the French satellite service EUTELSAT.
After Netanyahu’s request, the Israeli embassy in Paris reported that Al Aksa’s transmission had been cut off from service, Palestine News Network reported.
Earlier this week, Israel decided to close Palestinian media outlets, accusing them of incitement.
Israel’s Shin Bet internal spy agency said in a statement on Friday that the Palestine Today TV station offices in Ramallah were raided overnight in a joint operation with the military over allegations that the channel “broadcasts on behalf of the Islamic Jihad,” a Gaza-based Palestinian resistance movement.
Palestinian officials have denounced Israel’s closure of the offices. Yousef al-Mahmoud, Palestinian Authority spokesman, described the Israeli raid on Palestine Today TV station in Ramallah as “part of the aggressive occupation policy towards Palestinian media.
Hanan Ashrawi, member of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee, also denounced the Israeli raid, saying it contravenes free speech rules.
“Incursions into areas under the Palestinian Authority’s control and attacking its sovereignty and media institution [are] a stark violation of basic human rights and international and humanitarian laws that have safeguarded freedom of speech,” she said.