Press Federation holds mass meeting

Beirut determined to prevent Israel from undermining the good Lebanese-French ties

Friday, August 13, 2004

BEIRUT: Several Ministers and MPs joined Lebanese media Thursday in expressing solidarity with Al-Manar television station in its dispute with the French judicial authorities over a recent French ban submitted by the Jewish lobby on the station's activities.

In a mass meeting held at the Press Federation in Beirut and attended by Culture Minister Ghazi Aridi, Minister of State Assem Qanso, Beirut MP Bassem Yamout, among many other participants condemned the ban on Al-Manar by reasserting the "attachment of all Lebanese mass media" to freedom of the press and of expression and "refusing Israeli attempts to hide Israeli violations" in the occupied Arab territories.

"Anti-semitism is the last pretext Israel should resort to in order to mislead international public opinion," said the statement, which was handed after the meeting to President Emile Lahoud.

Lahoud said that the lawsuit filed by the Jewish lobby before the French authorities over Al-Manar's ban from broadcasting "serves the propaganda brought by Israel against Lebanon and the just Arab issues."

Lahoud added the Lebanese media is playing a major part abroad, and this part was similar to the Lebanese resistance against the Israeli occupation.

"Lebanon was determined to keep good relations with France and prevent Israel from undermining these relations," said Lahoud, who called on France to preserve the principles it has also strived for, such as freedom, dialogue and the acceptance of others. "Any measure taken against Al-Manar television station is expected to harm the right of the Lebanese media to convey its beliefs to the French and European public opinion, which has started to understand through the Lebanese satellites the fairness of the Arab issues and to condemn Israeli violations."

On his part, Hassan Falha, director-general of the Information Ministry, representing Information Minister Michel Samaha who failed to attend due to sickness said that Al-Manar station is a Lebanese media institution working in abidance with the Lebanese laws and laws regulating media in Lebanon. "The Lebanese government is concerned about the Al-Manar issue at all press, legal, diplomatic and political levels as well as its right to convey the real and true image of the Lebanese suffering to the whole world, especially the Lebanese and Arab conflict with Israel."

Falha also said that Al-Manar has proved its competence in unveiling Israeli crimes, Israel's racist nature and its practices against the Lebanese and Palestinian people, adding that not only Al-Manar is targeted as an institution, but that freedom of expression is targeted as well. "Unfortunately, what is happening today occurs in a country, that represents the cradle of values and democratic legislations, the source of human thought based on the sacredness of the freedom, expression, democracy and the respect for human rights."

Falha speculated that the attack on Al-Manar was prompted by one of two scenarios: It was either the result of Israel putting pressure on France in retaliation for considering Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon persona non grata in France, following his encouragement of French Jews to settle in Palestine or it was in response to the UN general assembly's condemnation of Israeli occupation.

Falha also said he expected that the French authorities would not consider this issue as an obstacle against the development of the Lebanese-French relations.

Press Federation President Mohammed Baalbaki expressed his concern about the Lebanese-French relations, the freedom of media, opinion and expression. "Semitism is not exclusive to Israelis only. Arabs are also Semites and Israeli actions in the occupied territories distort Semitism."

"We expect that the French judicial authorities have a say that goes with France's heritage concerning freedom, the freedom of media, justice and equality," Baalbaki added.

Journalists Union President Melhen Karam said that this is a "new and false Israeli propaganda."

"We're not Anti-Semitic. We are all Semites ... We are against Israeli hegemony, the acts of the Jews and Israel," he said.

Karam added that Al-Shatat (Diaspora) series, which is the TV program which prompted the attack on Al-Manar, was "a victory to Al-Manar and a glory to Arab knowledge."

Israel has claimed that Al-Shatat, a Syrian-produced mini-series which portrayed the history of Jews and Zionism and which was broadcast last year during the holy month of Ramadan, was based on the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a 19th century anti-Semitic series of forged documents commonly used to incite hatred against Jews.

The National Audiovisual Media Council President Abdel Hadi Mahfouz said Al Manar needs Lebanese solidarity, and should be backed by Arab solidarity. Mahfouz stressed that Al-Manar is a platform for the dialogue of civilizations, adding that Al-Manar is broadcasting in abidance with the French audiovisual laws.

By Maya Abou Nasr Daily Star staff

© The Daily Star 2004