Ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattabi received His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Assaf, General Supervisor of Official Media in the State of Palestine, His Excellency Mr. Muhannad Al-Aklouk, Palestinian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States, along with the accompanying delegation, on 17 September.
At the outset of the meeting, Ambassador Khattabi affirmed that the Palestinian cause remains a top priority within the plans and work programmes of the Media and Communications Sector of the League of Arab States, in line with the resolutions of the Council of Arab Information Ministers, where it is a standing item on the agenda. He referred in particular to the Arab Media Action Plan abroad and its implementation mechanisms, the Arab Media Strategy, programmes for historical documentation and preservation of Palestinian memory, and the launch of solidarity initiatives with Palestinian media, including the establishment of an International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian Media on 11 May each year.
He further asserted that the sector, in close coordination with the Palestinian Ministry of Information, spares no effort in translating the Council's directives into action, in cooperation with member states, League of Arab States' missions abroad, and observer media organisations. This, he stressed, aims to support Palestinian media and ensure that Palestinian news and the Palestinian narrative are given the necessary space in Arab and international media, particularly in light of the repercussions of Israeli aggression, including ongoing acts of genocide, starvation, intimidation, and forced displacement in the Gaza Strip, as well as systematic settlement expansion in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem and its environs.
The Ambassador added that the ongoing catastrophic field and humanitarian developments, and their geopolitical repercussions, which signal real shifts and pose grave challenges to the region, require effective media coverage of political, diplomatic, and human rights efforts at the Arab, Islamic, and international levels. He stressed the need for a firm commitment to activate executive mechanisms to counter misleading Israeli content and to foster open, purposeful, and credible media, built on a collaborative vision that engages the various components of the Arab media landscape.
For his part, His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Assaf, General Supervisor of Palestinian Media, expressed his pleasure at visiting the headquarters of the League of Arab States, commending the efforts of the Media and Communications Sector in serving Arab media and its effective role in supporting the Palestinian people in their ongoing struggle at all levels, raising international public awareness of the catastrophic nature and danger of the aggressive war on the Gaza Strip, ending the Israeli occupation, and consolidating the foundations of an independent national state.
He also affirmed that his meetings in the Arab Republic of Egypt would provide an opportunity for dialogue and interaction with the local media elite on current developments, in line with the directives of the Palestinian leadership. He noted the political and legal achievements of the Palestinian cause and the growing wave of recognition of the Palestinian state by influential states worldwide.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Ambassador Khattabi presented His Excellency Dr. Assaf with a shield on behalf of the Media and Communications Sector, in appreciation and recognition of his distinguished services to the advancement of Palestinian and Arab media.
