Ashraf AboArafe
His Excellency Ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattab, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Media and Communications Sector, delivered a speech as follows:
In the symposium on “Arab Media Confronting the False Israeli Narrative,” which was as follows:
In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful
Your Excellencies .. Ladies and gentlemen
I would like, first of all, to welcome you to the headquarters of the League of Arab States within the framework of this symposium on: “The Arab Media Confronting the False Israeli Narrative,” which is organized in cooperation between the Media and Communication Sector and the Arab Media Forum, noting the good initiative of our dear brother Madi Al-Khamis, Secretary-General of the Forum, who has observer status. At the Council of Arab Information Ministers.
Ladies and Gentelmen
The devastating Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip brought the Palestinian-Israeli conflict into a very delicate and dangerous stage, and demonstrated the extent of the urgent need to find a political horizon for this bitter conflict by reaching a fair and sustainable settlement within the framework of international legitimacy resolutions, the vision of the two-state solution, and the Arab Peace Initiative, and that any delay or inaction Stopping the escalation and tension threatens to have dire repercussions on security and stability in the Middle East region and on world peace.
Behind the tragic images of these fierce attacks on the Gaza Strip, which is already suffering from a stifling siege and the ongoing Israeli incursions into the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem, we are witnessing a media war, or rather a propaganda war, through social media networks to promote the falsity of the Israeli narrative, by resorting to blocking pages and closing accounts. And preventing posts that expressed, in one way or another, their rejection of the catastrophic situation and the bombing of the Gaza Strip without taking into account the provisions of international humanitarian law, especially the Fourth Geneva Convention for the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 1949, which prohibits attacks on the lives and physical integrity of civilians, including “murder in all its forms and cruel treatment.” And torture.”
In addition to Israel’s use of algorithms and application software that suppress Palestinian content and prevent it from spreading in the digital space, the fragments of counterfeiting campaigns extended to components of the Western media in support of Israel, which went so far as to undermine freedoms and rights, including the sanctity of the right to belief and freedom of expression. Hence, imposing sanctions or warnings against media figures, influencers, athletes, and artists who wanted to make the Palestinian voice heard and denounce the policy of collective punishment, beating civilians, displacing them, depriving them of the basic necessities of life, and bombing buildings, public facilities, medical facilities, and places of worship.
I cannot fail to emphasize the importance of intensifying the Arab effort to contain the Israeli narrative, and working to strengthen the media presence in support of the Palestinian cause, especially with the increasing spread of violent speeches inciting hatred and ideological extremism. On this occasion, I praise the high professional spirit of the journalists and media professionals who work selflessly to cover the course and facts of this terrible war. Which claimed the lives of some of these journalists, along with thousands of women, children, hospital and relief teams, and defenseless civilians.
I would also like to emphasize the special importance of the project to develop a unified strategy for dealing with international media companies, and at its core is defending Palestinian content on social media platforms, noting that the Council of Arab Information Ministers recently created a committee headed by the State of Palestine to support Palestinian content with what is required of credibility and persuasion in dealing. With international public opinion.
In conclusion, I renew my thanks to the Arab Media Forum and to all the participants, including diplomats, media figures, academics and experts, in this important symposium, wishing your work success and prosperity.
Peace, mercy and blessings of God
