| Submit your comments on this article |
| Middle East |
| Palestine TV curbs anti-Israel tone |
| 2003-07-15 |
| BBC Monitoring has observed that the official Palestinian television channel has cut back substantially on anti-Israel rhetoric since the ceasefire declared by Palestinian militant groups on 29 June. Question is: will the BBC follow their lead? On Tuesday, the Palestinian Information Ministry announced it had issued specific instructions to all media outlets in the West Bank and Gaza to ensure their compliance with a presidential decree banning "incitement". How sweet. Palestinian and Israeli officials agreed to set up two committees "to reach an understanding of the concept and forms of incitement," according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. "Such programmes are now almost extinct. Instead of incitement and hate passages, the channel broadcasts quiet songs as well as songs in praise of [Palestinian leader Yasser] Arafat," says Israel Radio’s Arab affairs correspondent. Palestine TV had toned down its programming during several previous ceasefires, but this time, it has also aired a new music video aimed at showing Palestinian aspirations for peace with the Israelis. Wow! Living, breathing, Israelis? Media analysts with experience of Palestine TV’s output say that while the channel continues to broadcast some music videos containing what some would class as inflammatory material, the effort to tone down its broadcasts - and to be seen to be doing so - is evident. For instance, a phone-in talk show presenter cut off several callers last week after they attempted to express support for suicide attacks or call for the return of lands the Palestinians say were confiscated after Israel became an independent state in 1948. Palestine TV subsequently broadcast a talk show on incitement which included an unprecedented music video dedicated to Israeli-Palestinian peace. The footage gave prominence to scenes of doves, flowers being scattered and Christian, Muslim and Jewish children and adults joining in dance sequences. Holy Macaroni, WTF?!!! In an indication that Palestinian officials are attempting to tighten state control over private media, the Information Ministry set a one month deadline on 2 July for media organisations to obtain licences to continue operating. Citing a 1995 law, the Palestinian director-general of Printing and Publications Hani al-Masri said a licence for broadcasters, the press and polling organisations was vital in order to "prevent anarchy and lack of discipline". |
| Posted by:Bulldog |
| #7 I wonder how many people Arafathead will execute for daring to portray Jews as the decent folks that most of them are, rather than monsters to be destroyed like required. |
| Posted by: Ri'Neref 2003-7-15 7:23:12 PM |
| #6 apparently the new Pal info minister is pro-Abbas (and therefore non-loony) rather than pro-Arafat. Is suspect here, as in the security forces, the battle will come at the lower levels. Expect Arafat to reach directly to lower levels in Pal media to maintain incitement, and then to make a bureaucratic/political stink when the info minister tries to fire those people. Look at the security situation. Dahlan is trying to gain control,and place some limits on terror - but arafat is setting up rajoub against him, and denying him control of much of the security forces |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-7-15 3:12:44 PM |
| #5 Coming up next on PALI 13, "Jews Are People Too". For the next week or so at least. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-7-15 12:35:36 PM |
| #4 The footage gave prominence to scenes of doves, flowers being scattered and Christian, Muslim and Jewish children and adults joining in dance sequences. Sounds like they just broadcast a retro Coca-Cola commercial, to me. Let's test their limits by playing some of the Britney Spears Pepsi ads... |
| Posted by: snellenr 2003-7-15 11:32:46 AM |
| #3 Are they referring to Israel, and not to "the Zionist entity"? |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-7-15 10:28:19 AM |
| #2 You can only imagine what the natives' reactions are to tuning in to the gogglebox for today's anti-Joo bloodlust and brainwash, only to see Julie Andrews-style all-singing all-dancing Peace and Love(TM). What would you tell the kids, the baby-boomers?! Even if it's not sincere, it's got to be a welcome change from the usual. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2003-7-15 8:45:21 AM |
| #1 I'm about as skeptical as can be on the whole peace between Israel and Palestine issue, but I would love to be proven wrong. This is encouraging. |
| Posted by: Dar 2003-7-15 8:29:43 AM |