Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds: We refuse to be part of "the government media"; we support democracy and freedom
Headline: “Al-Quds will remain loyal to the citizen’s right to know and committed to the national interest”
“[PA] Security Forces Spokesman [Adnan Al-Damiri] yesterday [Aug. 24, 2016] published a statement through the [official PA news] agency WAFA, which was later taken down, in which he attacked the Al-Quds newspaper for its objective coverage of the saddening and severe events in Nablus, its insistence on the right of the reader to know, and the criticism it leveled against the killing of Ahmed Halawa by [PA] Security Force members after his arrest. The spokesman made random accusations against the newspaper, which has placed the supreme national interest before it since its establishment, and whose positions are based on the adherence to the right of our people to freedom, independence, and the exposure of the oppressive positions and actions of the occupation against our people.
Al-Quds today constitutes a symbol of raising the Arab journalism to the highest levels. And it has proven its ability to keep up with [the pace of] the era. Likewise, it has refused and refuses to be a part of ‘the government media’ like some of the other newspapers and websites, which causes regular people to follow the Israeli media as a source of news.
We at Al-Quds wish to emphasize to our readers and our entire people that the newspaper will continue to adhere to its national path despite all the steps and the obstacles the occupation will place, and regretfully, despite the accusations that are being hurled against us, because we belong to the people and not to the political echelon.
We reiterate that Al-Quds does not receive orders from the [PA] Minister of Interior or from anyone from ‘above’ and is not subordinate to anybody, and there is no doubt that nobody can buy its words or positions. We request that this be clear to everyone. Al-Quds will continue to be a symbol to all the citizens adhering to the same way, while relying on the right of the citizen to know and on our belief in democracy, freedom, and the rights and freedoms set by the constitution, to which [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas] and late President Yasser Arafat before him confirmed their adherence.
We believe that the officials can withstand constructive criticism and respect the freedom of opinion anchored in law as a safety valve on the way to freedom, independence, and the building of our future state – a state of freedoms and law.”
“[PA] Security Forces Spokesman [Adnan Al-Damiri] yesterday [Aug. 24, 2016] published a statement through the [official PA news] agency WAFA, which was later taken down, in which he attacked the Al-Quds newspaper for its objective coverage of the saddening and severe events in Nablus, its insistence on the right of the reader to know, and the criticism it leveled against the killing of Ahmed Halawa by [PA] Security Force members after his arrest. The spokesman made random accusations against the newspaper, which has placed the supreme national interest before it since its establishment, and whose positions are based on the adherence to the right of our people to freedom, independence, and the exposure of the oppressive positions and actions of the occupation against our people.
Al-Quds today constitutes a symbol of raising the Arab journalism to the highest levels. And it has proven its ability to keep up with [the pace of] the era. Likewise, it has refused and refuses to be a part of ‘the government media’ like some of the other newspapers and websites, which causes regular people to follow the Israeli media as a source of news.
We at Al-Quds wish to emphasize to our readers and our entire people that the newspaper will continue to adhere to its national path despite all the steps and the obstacles the occupation will place, and regretfully, despite the accusations that are being hurled against us, because we belong to the people and not to the political echelon.
We reiterate that Al-Quds does not receive orders from the [PA] Minister of Interior or from anyone from ‘above’ and is not subordinate to anybody, and there is no doubt that nobody can buy its words or positions. We request that this be clear to everyone. Al-Quds will continue to be a symbol to all the citizens adhering to the same way, while relying on the right of the citizen to know and on our belief in democracy, freedom, and the rights and freedoms set by the constitution, to which [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas] and late President Yasser Arafat before him confirmed their adherence.
We believe that the officials can withstand constructive criticism and respect the freedom of opinion anchored in law as a safety valve on the way to freedom, independence, and the building of our future state – a state of freedoms and law.”