Abbas curbs anti-Israeli ‘incitement’

The head of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation has called on the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation to tone down criticism of Israel.

Despite occupation, PLO chief Abbas rejects media incitement

PLO leader Mahmud Abbas told PBC chairman Ridwan Abu Ayyash on Tuesday that any transmission deemed inciting would no longer be acceptable.

Abbas also urged the broadcaster to increase censorship of itself and called on Israel to reciprocate the move, as the issue was mentioned in the road map peace plan.

Speaking to Aljazeera, the director general of Palestinian Radio – Basim Abu Sumaya – confirmed that he had been instructed to remove all material that could be deemed inciting.

“But we have not received any written instructions from any of the Palestinian Authority officials,” Abu Sumaya said. “Even though we have been committed to this since the road map started.”

He pointed out that much of the Palestinian media infrastructure had been destroyed by Israel occupation forces in any case – “the victim of Israeli incitement”.

Defining incitement

Abu Sumaya added that there also needed to be a debate as to what constituted incitement. 

“Israel considers the national anthems we broadcast and our coverage of the Israeli raids into our refugee camps as incitement,” he said.

“But if the Israeli media is committed not to incite against the Palestinians, we are also ready for the same – though I feel we cannot stop something we are not doing.”

Source: Al Jazeera