Thursday, August 21, 2008

Muzzling press freedom in Occupied Palestine


By Khalid Amayreh in the Occupied Palestinian territories

"To begin with, I would like to point out that I am writing this article at the risk of being arrested for “incitement” and “tarnishing” the Palestinian Authority (PA) image.
However, the cause of press freedom in Occupied Palestine is too paramount to be compromised by fears for one’s safety.

Hence, journalists and free-minded citizens must not allow themselves to be intimidated by a police-state apparatus that views itself as God’s vicegerent on earth.

In recent weeks and months, the American-backed and Israeli-favored regime in Ramallah has been systematically violating the human rights and civil liberties of the Palestinian people in ways unseen since the start of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1967.

This is done in utter violation of the rule of law and is mainly aimed at consolidating Fatah’s domination in the region. In short, it seems that the PA, not Hamas, is enforcing a ruthless regime whereby all forms of dissent are suppressed by brute force......"

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