Hamas condemns French decision on Aqsa TV

Hamas strongly denounced the French broadcasting regulator CSA for ordering the France-based satellite provider Eutelsat not to air Al-Aqsa TV.

It described in a statement on Tuesday the decision as a “blatant violation of media freedom that was guaranteed by all international laws and legislations”.

The decision is a shameful spot on the French institution that was trying to absent the role of Al-Aqsa channel in exposing the Israeli crimes against Palestinian people and land in acquiescence to Zio-American pressures, Hamas charged.

The movement asked all concerned institutions, satellite channels, and free media men to display solidarity with Al-Aqsa TV and to pressure the CSA and Eutelsat to backtrack on their “oppressive decision”.

Meanwhile, tens of journalists, politicians, and notables staged a sit-in before the French cultural center in Gaza city on Tuesday to protest the blocking of Al-Aqsa transmission claiming that it was “inciting hatred”.

Director of Al-Aqsa TV Hazem Sharawi said that his channel would go to court to challenge the decision, urging the Arab information ministers to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the issue and to adopt urgent measures to force Paris to rescind the decision.

Sharawi said that the decision was politically motivated and meant to silence criticism of Israel. “The enemy (Israel) can kill us, destroy our lands and blockade us. But we aren’t allowed to expose them,” Sharawy charged.