The “West” has always been a great advocate of such concepts as democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of press and many other “freedoms”. However, when push comes to shove, it seems some of these countries “forget” the basic fundamental values they supposedly believe in and abide by – values they so enthusiastically preach to their nationals as well as to other nations.
This time around, it is the turn of the country that boasts fine wine, perfumes and beautiful women.
France’s highest administrative court has put off until December 13, a decision on whether to ban Al Manar, the Arab-language channel run by Hizbullah movement out of Lebanon. For its part, Lebanon is lobbying the Arab world for support on the eve of the French ruling that could indeed ban Al-Manar TV.
Al-Manar is the official arm of Hizbullah, the Iranian-backed, Lebanon-based movement designated as a “terrorist organization” by the United States and several other Western governments. Al Manar is available in many countries throughout the world through a network of international satellite providers.
The channel is also available in the United States.
The two-day delay by the French court, the Council of State, reflects the extremely fragile nature of the impending ruling after a yearlong campaign by the French government to close down Al Manar because of its “anti-Semitic and racist reports” and “support of violence”, the New York Times reported Sunday.
Judge Bruno Genevois, head of the Council of State's dispute bureau, did not provide an explanation for the delay but indicated that the deliberations would not be "a debate on the political situation in the Middle East."
Last month, France's public broadcasting regulating agency gave Al Manar a license to continue its operations in France as long as it abides by French law. However, just four days later, the channel broke its agreement, according to French officials.
It broadcast a report claiming that Israel for years had spread HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and other diseases across the Arab world. A second report called for war against Jews and the destruction of Israel.
France's Higher Audiovisual Council (CSA) on November 30 issued a warning to the station to "respect its legal and conventional obligations," the body had announced.
The CSA addressed a letter to the president of the Lebanese Communication Group, which controls Al Manar, quoting remarks aired by the station which it described as "liable to constitute incitement to hatred or violence".
The media body plans to hear representatives of Al Manar in a plenary session on December 17, it said, as part of the procedure that could eventually lead to it being taken off the air.
French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin had called for the channel to be taken off the air because its programs were "incompatible with our values".
Al Manar, for its part, alleged "Zionist" attempts to stir up problems for France in the Muslim world, accusing Israel of mounting an "unprecedented campaign" to prevent it from broadcasting in Europe, to keep it "from revealing to European views, to foreign residents in Europe, the reality of the situation, the crimes against humanity perpetrated by Israel, both in occupied Palestine and across the world".
CSA said in the letter, "It will not escape your notice that the term 'crimes against humanity' falls under a precise legal statute enshrined in international law... The state of Israel has never been declared guilty of crimes against humanity before an international criminal jurisdiction".
On Friday, the Lebanese government threatened to retaliate against French media outlets if Al Manar was banned in France. In a letter to the Arab League, Lebanon asked for a review of the privileges granted to some French media outlets throughout the Arab world "that carry anti-Arab, racist material that incites hate."
Lebanese media officials warned Paris not to suspend broadcasts of Al Manar, claiming authorities may be forced to reciprocate against French stations.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, in Iran during his weekly press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi, in response to a question about the remarks of the Israeli foreign minister and French prime minister about the closure of Al Manar, said that the network is currently operating and active.
"In the free world of today’s media, closing it would be out of (the) question and will be useless. Besides the network just brings up the current facts about the occupied lands.
"In fact, in order to settle such problems, the Zionist regime should just adjust its own policies," he added, , according to IRNA.
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
