Ouagadougou: His Excellency the Secretary General of the World Islamic League, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, and His Excellency the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Mr. Hussein Ibrahim Taha, have launched last Sunday, June 9 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, ‘via videoconference’, the work of the international forum entitled ‘Media and Palestinian rights: practical measures to take advantage of Palestine recognition initiatives’.
The forum was organized in partnership between the Deputy Secretariat for Institutional Communication and the Union of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
It was opened with the participation of news agencies from Islamic countries, international media unions, heads of international news agencies and a group of diplomatic and intellectual figures.
At the end of its work, the Forum issued a number of recommendations, including eleven executive initiatives aimed at strengthening the support of Islamic and international media for th
e defense of the rights of the Palestinian people, including the creation of a platform interactive media form specialized in monitoring and documenting the international and popular movement with regard to compliance with international resolutions relating to the Palestinian cause, the publication of documented periodic reports on this subject, the intensification of the media dissemination of initiatives and statements issued by various countries around the world regarding the recognition of Palestine, the positive presentation of these statements and the launch of an electronic blog.
The initiatives included holding a periodic media forum in one of the world capitals to discuss practical steps to support the Palestinian cause in the media, coordinate joint action in this regard and launch a special branch in the ‘Federation of Islamic News Agencies Award’ announced last November, to honor the best journalistic works that support the Palestinian cause, contribute to properly publicizing it and support and
encourage international efforts aimed at resolving it.
Recommendations included strengthening cooperation and coordination between media organs of international organizations concerned with the Palestinian cause, such as the UN,
the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Islamic World League, to raise media awareness of the Palestinian cause, organize programs and activities designed for this purpose, and strive to intensify media monitoring of statements offensive to the Palestinian people published by some Israeli officials and far- right parties in Israel, and showing the violation of international human rights conventions that these statements represent.
HE the Secretary General of the Association opened the work of the forum with a speech in which he underlined that professional and objective media coverage of the bloody events in Gaza had become one of the pillars which relaunched the international debate on the need to accelerate an urgent , just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian qu
estion.
His Eminence reiterated that the tragic disasters and blatant attacks suffered by the Palestinian people will remain engraved in the consciousness of all living consciences and will testify to the level of effectiveness of the international community in supporting the oppressed, deterring the oppressor and the establishment of international standards of justice, noting that this platform is intended to be an effective platform to press for strong and firm measures to end the horrific crimes against the Palestinian people.
Mr. Al-Issa stressed that the media – with its various means and modern technologies – have an important role to play in effectively contributing to bringing the ship of our world to its end of life.
He stressed that since the beginning of the events in Gaza, the professional and honest media have played an important and leading role in denouncing “the crimes of Israeli aggression and in presenting a professional and honest picture of the violations unjust acts against the Palesti
nian people that are taking place on the bloody scene.
Dr. Al-Issa stressed that these positive steps and media successes coincided with intensive Arab-Islamic movements, led by the ministerial committee appointed by the Joint Arab-Islamic Summit, chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where the committee worked to mobilize international support for an immediate end to the war in Gaza, and to discuss concrete and practical steps to implement the two-state solution and end the conflict in the region.
His Excellency Dr. Al-Issa highly appreciated, on behalf of the World Islamic League, and on behalf of the scholars and intellectuals of the Ummah and the Muslim peoples under the aegis of the League, the great efforts made by the Servant of two holy mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Crown Prince and Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may God protect them, in order to support the Palestinian cause.
After that, HE Hussein Ibrahim
Taha, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), delivered an opening speech emphasizing the importance of convening such a forum to dedicate cooperation to serving the cause of Palestine and Al Quds Al Sharif.
In his speech, His Excellency spoke of the importance of the role of the media in documenting “the violations of international and humanitarian law by the Israeli authorities responsible for the aggression, and their lack of hesitation to systematically commit all forms of violence against the Palestinian people.
Taha stressed the importance of internationalizing the Palestinian cause and working thoughtfully through relevant international institutions and committees in order to achieve international recognition of the Palestinian state, according to a plan arising from a precise vision leading to a two-state solution based on relevant United Nations resolutions.
His Excellency stressed the need for significant intervention in order to end the Israeli occupation, thereby clo
sing the curtain on the entire colonial era, avoiding silence on what is happening in occupied Palestine and taking steps to consolidate the peace.
For his part, the general supervisor of the official media of the State of Palestine, Minister Ahmed Assaf, stressed that the recent wave of recognitions of the Palestinian State, namely those of Spain, Ireland, Norway and Slovenia, represents a reawakening of the world’s rejection of Israeli brutality practiced without restraint in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
He stressed that in the same context come the decisions of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, the time when Israel can escape responsibility and punishment is over, and it is no longer acceptable to continue the policy double standards.
The Palestinian minister stressed that the media, with all their tools and means, have a decisive role in today’s world, and that – especially with regard to the Palestinian cause – can make a difference, because
essence of the conflict is in the novel, which is a difficult and complex conflict because it is intertwined with cultures and ambitions.
For his part, the Director General of the Union of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (UNA), Mr. Mohammed bin Abd Rabbo Al-Yami, called for investment in international initiatives to recognize Palestine and accompany it with a media discourse that reinforces it, emphasizing its importance in ending the conflict and establishing peace.
The forum included a number of round tables, during which a number of media experts and leaders of its international federations discussed a number of topics and issues, including “practical steps in cooperation of media to support initiatives to recognize the State of Palestine”, ” media terminology and support for the legitimate right of the Palestinian people”, in addition to “peace journalism and strengthening the role of the media in resolving international crises’.
Source: Burkina Information Agency