Efforts to end Aqsa broadcast still under way

The Aqsa Satellite Channel which is being broadcast from Gaza denounced the decision of the High Council for Radio and TV in France to stop broadcasting the channel via its satellites. It alleged that the channel promotes animosity, violence and hatred on religious background triggering it to come to this decision. It described it as both political and illegal.

Tens of journalists and activists protested in solidarity with the Aqsa channel in front of the French Cultural Centre in Gaza on Tuesday calling for the withdrawal of this illegal decision. The Aqsa Channel administration had received an announcement from the satellite’s administration informing it that it would stop broadcasting within the next few hours.

Hazem el-Shaarawy, the channel’s manager, stated that this decision had been discussed many times in the US Congress following the channel’s success in exposing the Israelis crimes and its success in the Quds campaign which received wide popularity. He pointed out that the Israeli TV has warned of the seriousness of the channel’s role and it imposed pressure on the satellite’s owners of the satellite to stop its broadcasting.

Alshaarawi maintained that the channel’s owners are relying on the Arab streets and intellectual elites to stop the implementation of this decision. He also expressed hopes that France would abolish this decision as it was only made due to Israeli pressures on France .

The European Union called on France to immediately stop broadcasting the channel since it allegedly violated the European broadcasting laws.

The US Treasury has also decided to impose sanctions on the Aqsa channel for its affiliation with the Hamas resistance.