PFLP condemns closure of Al-Jazeera offices in West Bank

July 15, 2009

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine expressed its strongest condemnation of the closure of Al-Jazeera offices in the West Bank by the illegitimate PA government of Ramallah on Wednesday, June 15, 2009.

The PFLP demanded that these actions to silence Al-Jazeera be rescinded immediately, saying in a statement that freedom of expression and freedom of the press is critically important to the future of the Palestinian revolution and the Palestinian cause. Al-Jazeera has served a crucial role in informing the Palestinian people, the Arab region and the world, particularly about the crimes perpetrated against the Palestinian people and the Arab cause.

A spokesperson of the PFLP continued to say that by closing Al-Jazeera in the West Bank, the Salam Fayyad government is overstepping all bounds and crossing all red lines that protect freedom of the press, protect journalists and protect the Palestinian people's right to inform themselves. This action goes hand in hand with the policy of political imprisonment and repression of resistance, and is one with the policy of security cooperation with the occupation.

The PFLP spokesperson emphasized that the closing of Al-Jazeera is an implementation of the policies and orders of Keith Dayton, the U.S. general charged with creating and training a Palestinian "security force" that works at the behest of the Fayyad regime to implement the orders of the U.S. and Israel.

The PFLP spokesperson demanded the restoration of Al-Jazeera and the protection of journalists and freedom of the press, noting that the occupation is the only beneficiary of such actions, and that the protection of journalists is part and parcel of the Palestinian cause. Furthermore, the PFLP spokesperson reiterated the Front's position that security cooperation with the occupier and the work with Keith Dayton must end immediately and be repudiated entirely, and that all political imprisonment and repression of resistance must be completely halted.

The spokesperson continued to say that the PFLP will do its utmost to act to protect the rights of the Palestinian people and will not allow our cause to be sacrificed to Dayton and his henchmen.

The PFLP also issued a statement denouncing the closure of Al-Jazeera, warning the Palestinian Authority from continuing the policies of oppression against journalists and their democratic rights.