PMW reports Palestinian radio silence in condemning French terror attacks
They have, however, been quite vocal in condemning France for their Islamophobia.
By SARAH BEN-NUNMuslim demonstrators hold placards during a protest against the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad in Charlie Hebdo in London(photo credit: REUTERS)
As condemnations for the recent terror attacks in France flooded in, Palestinian media outlets have generated a resounding silence on the matter, Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) reported on Sunday.They have, however, been quite vocal in condemning France for their Islamophobia."We warn against continuing these affronts" Wafiq Alawi, The Palestinian Authority's (PA) Ministry of Religious Affairs Director-General in the Ramallah District, told the PA's news agency WAFA on Wednesday. "This fans the spirit of hatred and hostility, and contributes to burying the culture of tolerance and peace between the peoples," he added.PMW, an Israeli nonprofit, relies on its extensive team of researchers and translators to keep track of the news and tone which Palestinian media outlets are circulating, particularly their "promotion and glorification of terror," according to their website.In the wake of the recent terror attacks in France, various nationalities and political figures, from Malaysia to Turkey, Iran, and Hamas, have condemned France's alleged insults to Islam.French president Emmanuel Macron refused to condemn the publication of the cartoons, insisting on the rights of a free press. In a speech on October 2, he highlighted how "Islam is a religion that is experiencing a crisis across the world,” referring to various strains of extremist Islamist movements, The Guardian reported.Charlie Hebdo, the French satirical weekly, originally published the cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad back in 2015; various terror attacks followed. Samuel Paty, a French teacher who had shown the cartoon to his students, was beheaded for it on October 16. In contrast, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein told WAFA on October 26 that the Prophet Muhammad, "peace be upon him, is too lofty to be harmed by hate-filled people, whose true racist nature is being exposed."
