São Paulo journalists honor Palestinian Journalist Union

Journalist Zoghbour: “We will continue to pursue the Occupying State in the International Criminal Court, and targeting journalists will not prevent them from exposing genocide crimes and bringing the Palestinian narrative to the world.”

Photo: Bandeira brasileira by Núcleo Editorial, CC BY 2.0

The Journalists and Writers Syndicates of the State of São Paulo, Brazil, honored the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate at an event held to promote the book “Genocide Isolates Israel: The Challenge of Creating a Palestinian State” by authors Nathaniel Braia and Nilson Araújo de Souza.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate participated in the event with a message delivered via the Internet by the member of the General Secretariat of the Syndicate, journalist Wisam Zoghbour, from the Gaza Strip, who spoke about genocide crimes, the siege, and brutal Israeli bombardment.

The event was attended by Brazilian and Palestinian representatives, both in person at the Vladimir Herzog Hall and online, including the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Brazil, Ibrahim Al-Zeben, Eduardo Viné, Secretary of the Journalists Syndicate, Claude Hajjar, from the Federation of American Arab Entities, Emir Mourad, from the Palestinian Confederation of Latin America and the Caribbean, Ualid Rabah, from the Arab Palestinian Federation, Amyra El-Khalili, from the Women’s Movement for Peace in Palestine, Professor Cláudio Fonseca, from the Union of Education Professionals in the Municipal Education System of São Paulo, authors Nathaniel Braia and Nilson Araújo de Souza, and Hassan Massoud, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Brazil, as well as Palestinian and Brazilian leaders, writers, and journalists.

Journalist Wisam Zoghbour, a member of the General Secretariat of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, delivered a speech on behalf of the president of the syndicate, Mr. Nasser Abu Bakr, in which he said: “It is a great honor to speak on behalf of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, which represents Palestinian journalists everywhere, especially journalists in beloved Gaza, witnesses and martyrs of the most horrific crime the media has ever seen in its history, which claimed the lives of more than 140 journalists and media workers.”

Zoghbour added: “I am participating in this event today as we bid farewell to another martyr of the Palestinian press. More than 140 journalists were cold-bloodedly killed by Israeli occupation forces, and dozens of journalists were injured in various ways, but their injuries did not prevent them from continuing their work. The occupation forces continue the policy of forcibly disappearing dozens of journalists and preventing the disclosure of the circumstances of their detention. The Israeli occupation forces have destroyed about 88 media institutions and offices, as well as 80 journalists' homes, resulting in the death of about 30 of their family members. They continue to deprive Palestinian journalists of professional safety equipment, such as vests and helmets, and prevent foreign journalists from entering the Gaza Strip.”

Zoghbour explained that Palestinian journalists work under extremely difficult and complex conditions, being targets of assassination, imprisonment, and the destruction of their institutions, offices, and homes by the Occupation, in clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2222, which aims to provide international protection to journalists in conflict zones.

Zoghbour continued: “The Occupying State is not content with this, continuing to cut electricity, interfere with communications and the internet, prevent the entry of fuel, and destroy media institutions, offices, and journalists' equipment in the Gaza Strip since October 7, which negatively affects journalists' work in documenting and exposing genocide crimes. This has forced journalists to work in hospitals, centers, and reception tents.”

The member of the General Secretariat of the Journalists Syndicate emphasized that these crimes and Israeli measures against Palestinian journalists and foreign agencies operating in the Gaza Strip will not silence the journalists nor prevent them from continuing their professional and humanitarian role in documenting and exposing genocide crimes against the Palestinian people and bringing their narrative to the world.

Zoghbour highlighted that the UNESCO “Freedom of Expression” Award, given this year to Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip, is a recognition of their sacrifices and a condemnation of the Occupant's actions against the Palestinian people in general and journalists in particular. It is also a tribute to the professionalism and sacrifices of Palestinian journalists and an homage to the souls of the martyrs and the injured in the press.

Zoghbour stated that the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate supports journalists with all available resources, documents crimes against them, and brings these issues to the International Criminal Court to hold Israeli war criminals accountable and force Israel to respect international law and the Human Rights Charter, in addition to providing international protection to journalists.

Zoghbour concluded his message to the Brazilian people and journalists by saying: “From here, in Gaza, I bring the courage of the Palestinian people in general and Palestinian journalists in particular, a message of love and appreciation to the Brazilian people and journalists for participating in this event in favor of the State of Palestine, its people, and its journalists. We hope for your support and solidarity in publicizing our suffering and exposing the war crimes that continue to be committed against the Palestinian people and Palestinian journalists, and in pursuing Israeli war criminals to ensure they are punished for their crimes.”

For their part, the authors of the book “Genocide Isolates Israel: The Challenge of Creating a Palestinian State,” Nathaniel Braia and Nilson Araújo de Souza, said during a debate between them: “Our goal is to reveal the nature of the racist Israeli regime and support the Palestinian people's struggle for liberation and the right to self-determination.”

The martyred journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed by Israeli occupation forces’ gunfire in the Jenin refugee camp, was honored, and the certificate was presented to Hassan Massoud, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Brazil.

Editing: Alexandre Rocha

Author: Advisory of the Palestinian Journalists Union from Gaza