Al Arabiya News Channel is outraged at the continued ban imposed by the Israeli occupation forces on Basim El Jamal, one of its seasoned journalists, prohibiting him entry into the Palestinian Territories. Al Arabiya considers this unwarranted and unexplained embargo as flying straight into the face of freedom of the press and the right of journalists to go about their legitimate duties unhindered.
Basim El Jamal, a British citizen, was prevented from entering the Palestinian territories to carry out professional duties on three occasions - two attempts (in April 2005) via Daima Bridge and Lodd airport in Jordan were thwarted by Israeli occupation forces for “security reasons”, with no further elaboration. Two weeks ago, Basim sought the intervention of the Palestinian Authorities in Gaza - again to no avail - with the Israelis alleging that Basim has contacts with “hostile groups”. Again, no further explanation was provided.
Basim produced several programmes for Al Arabiya Channel that were deemed “controversial”, and may have contributed to the ban on the journalist. One of them was a feature on the Palestinian Al Aqsa Mosque Brigade that involved extensive interviews with some of its members. Perhaps of more concern could have been a series of politico-historical documentaries produced by Basim on the Sheba’ Farms, the Hola massacre and the Fatima crossing - all in South Lebanon - as well as a 4-episode series about the “segregation wall”, or so-called “security fence”, around the Israeli occupied West Bank.
In light of the evident infringement against freedom of the press, Al Arabiya News Channel calls on professional organisations and media associations concerned with the safety, security and rights of professional journalists worldwide to take active measures in order to urge the Israeli occupation to change its attitude towards journalists. Ultimately, we call for the immediate lifting of the entry ban unjustly imposed on Al Arabiya journalist Basim El Jamal.
It is noteworthy that this ban on Basim comes on the heals of the continued - and yet to be legally justified - detention by US forces in Iraq of Al Arabiya’s Baghdad reporter Majid Hameed. Majid was detained back in September 2005 and has remained in custody ever since without charge and could not avail of any legal representation; neither could he be visited by family members and colleagues.
Al Arabiya News Channel reasserts its commitment to maintaining a safe, secure and conducive working environment for its employees, and to upholding and defending freedom of the press. To these ends, al Arabiya reserves the right to pursue all and any legally sanctioned recourse, alone and in alliance with like-minded organisations and individuals.
