Coalition Against Terrorist Media Praises French Decision to Ban Hamas’ Al-Aqsa TV

WASHINGTON DC – The Coalition Against Terrorist Media (CATM) praised the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA), the French broadcasting authorities, for finding Al-Aqsa TV in violation of audiovisual laws, recognizing the role terrorist media plays in radicalizing Europe.

Al-Aqsa is one of Hamas's often overlooked weapons used in the violence in Gaza. Hamas launched Al-Aqsa TV in 2007. It was inspired by and is modeled after Hezbollah's Al-Manar television, which the US government has formally designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity.

“Hamas can't cry 'victim' when its own television channel openly promotes suicide bombing,” said Mark Dubowitz, Executive Director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, which founded CATM. “The CSA's action sends a message that incitement to violence should not be tolerated in Europe or elsewhere. Its action against the notorious Al- Aqsa TV should be praised by all those who care about freedom from terrorism.”

Al-Aqsa TV, funded by Iran, is best known for its long incendiary speeches by Hamas leaders that glorify suicide bombing and have incendiary calls for “martyrdom.” It is also known for the infamous programs aimed at children that encourage following in the footsteps of suicide bombers from as early as kindergarten.

“Jihad is our path – Jihad for the sake of Allah, in all its forms. This is our strategic option, and not peace,” proclaimed a cleric on a recent al Aqsa broadcast. (MEMRI, Dec. 31, 2008)

“The West should not confuse Al-Aqsa TV with legitimate media,” Dubowitz continued. “Media outlets do not openly incite to murder. They aren't used as operational weapons by terrorist groups. Al-Aqsa makes a mockery of free speech protections which are the lifeblood of legitimate media outlets.”

Fathi Hamad, Director of Al-Aqsa TV and a Hamas Parliament member explained Hamas's approach this way:” For the Palestinian people death became an industry, at which women excel and so do all people on this land: the elderly excel, the Jihad fighters excel, and the children excel. Accordingly [Palestinians] created a human shield of women, children, the elderly and the Jihad fighters against the Zionist bombing machine, as if they were saying to the Zionist enemy: We desire death as you desire life.” [Palestinian Media Watch, Feb. 29, 2008]

The CSA action requires Eutelsat, France's leading satellite and the world's third largest satellite, to cease broadcast of Al-Aqsa. Reports today have not confirmed that Eutelsat has taken Al-Aqsa off all of its satellites. CATM urges Eutelsat to do so without delay.

Al-Manar TV, Hezbollah's channel, was removed from all European satellites, including Eutelsat, in 2004 and 2005. It is still available in Europe via Arabsat and the Egyptian satellite provider Nilesat. In November 2008, the German Ministry of the Interior outlawed al-Manar TV and declared it to be in violation of the German constitution because its content incites hatred and terrorism. The order prohibits broadcasting al-Manar TV in public such as in mosques and makes it illegal to cooperate with al-Manar TV. Al-Manar TV is already outlawed in France, Spain and the Netherlands.

The Coalition Against Terrorist Media (CATM) was founded by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and works to raise awareness of the threats posed by terrorist-controlled and funded media and to ban it wherever it appears. The Coalition consist of the European Foundation for Democracy, the American Jewish Committee, World Council for the Cedars Revolution and other Muslim, Christian, Jewish and secular organizations in Europe and around the world and are committed to working with government and the private sector on issues relating to terrorist media.