In my capacity as President of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC), I address my appeal to the Parliamentary Regional, national, and international organizations for urgent action aimed at putting an end to the intentional targeting of innocent media personnel in the occupied Palestinian territories, which is contrary to all conventions and laws that regulate peace and war situations, and provide protection to personnel of these free and noble professions and is deemed a blatant violation of human rights and the international humanitarian law.

All evidence confirms that this targeting is not by chance or mistake, but is planned, methodical, and well-studied, the purpose of which is to obliterate facts and prevent documentation of the heinous crimes perpetrated by the Zionist occupation forces in the land of Palestine, which commenced by the assassination of the brilliant journalist Shireen Abu Akla, as she was covering the incursion into Jenin Camp, and continued with the groups of martyred media personnel, who numbered 112 martyrs until 15 January 2024. The number is apt to rise further within the collusive silence which allows the usurper escape from punishment and accountability, and to proceed with his crimes which are classified as war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Faced with this tragic and inhuman situation, we have but to reiterate our absolute solidarity with all the media personnel who continue to sacrifice themselves for the sake of transferring the horrifying truth to the entire wold. We are affirming our total support to every urgent action in the international For a in order to protect these media people.

We draw the attention of the international community to the gravity of the persistent silence vis-à-vis gagging and silencing the voice of right through targeting the expressive word and eye witnessing of the atrocious and brutal crimes which are committed every moment by this racist spiteful entity with a deep-rooted aggressive disposition. We affirm that the security Council and the international community shoulder the full responsibility for the continuity of these crimes, through their non-condemnation of what is happening to these media personnel, and demanding the Zionist entity to immediately stop its violations.

I address my call and appeal to all the regional, national, and international parliamentary organisations to act together, for inviting the international community and the legal organisations to more immediately to stop these violations and pursue the Zionist occupation to acquiesce to international law, and the protection of media personnel rights, and to hold perpetrators of these crimes accountable and prosecute them, together with carrying out quick, transparent and comprehensive investigation into these horrible crimes, and carry out firm measures based on accountability and yielding to international law without discrimination.

Indeed, our silence today towards the situation is also a crime unpardonable by history and shall remain as a stigma of shame that will keep haunting us.

Our voice raised high by right and our rejection of this blatant aggression and violation of all human conventions and values is the most of our obligations which we, as parliamentarians, representing peoples, must carry out as a moral and humanitarian duty before everything.

In conclusion, I reiterate my standing readiness to support any initiative introduced in this respect.

President of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC)

For the orginal Arabic version of the Appeal, click here