Palestinian News Agency (WAFA)        December 10. 2024

   Assaf underscored the urgency of countering Israeli efforts to distract global attention from the situation in Palestine by exploiting other regional events. He highlighted the importance of exposing the occupation’s crimes, particularly against journalists, noting that over 190 journalists have been killed since the onset of the ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people.

   He stressed the importance of collaborating with relevant international organizations to hold Israel accountable for its violations against the Palestinian people, particularly its crimes against journalists.

   He also urged Arab Information Ministers to collectively engage with global digital platforms to backtrack their pro-Israel bias and to stop censoring Palestinian content.

   During the meeting, Assaf provided a grim update on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, revealing that the Israeli aggression has led to the killing of nearly 50,000 civilians and the injury of over 106,000 others, with more than 10,000 people still missing under the rubble.

   He also emphasized the unprecedented scale of destruction to both infrastructure and civilian homes and properties in the besieged Strip.

   Minister Assaf also addressed the occupation’s escalation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the continued attacks against the defenseless Palestinian people by extremist colonists.

   He further addressed the ongoing killings and raids by the occupation forces, targeting Palestinian cities, villages, towns and refugee camps, alongside the continued construction and expansion of colonies.

   Minister Assaf pointed out the Israeli occupation’s violations against Palestinian media, stressing that these crimes will not deter the media from continuing its national mission to convey the voice of the Palestinian people to the world.

   He stressed the importance of giving prominence to the Palestinian cause in Arab media, exposing the occupation’s crimes against the Palestinian people, reinforcing the Palestinian narrative in contrast to the false Israeli narrative and supporting the political, diplomatic and legal efforts of the State of Palestine, led by President Mahmoud Abbas in collaboration with Arab nations, to end the Israeli occupation of the state of Palestine, with Est Jerusalem as its capital.

   The Palestinian cause remains at the forefront of discussions at the 20th regular session of the Executive Office of the Arab Information Ministers Council, alongside other vital topics aimed at strengthening Arab media cooperation and creating strategies for a promising media future in the region and the world.