The Zionist group memri.org has gotten attention for translating and showing the excellent series Al-Shatat to presidents of the West, and now they have memritv.org with even more video clips from Al-Manar. Are you worried that this new memri tv will cause more problems for you from this filthy group?
Answer
As everyone knows, the memri organization is an Israeli organization that is monitoring all of the Arab press and media in subjects related to the Arab-Israeli conflict. This organization is headed by former Israeli military officers. My name has been mentioned many times on their websites, but this does not mean that they will cause me troubles in the United States. I am a US citizen, I will be protected by the US laws and we still have freedom of speech, freedom of press and the constitution protects us with its first amendment.
Name
fayez
- Belgium
Profession
Question
Why did France decide to ban Al-Manar TV though it is not known for its double-standard policy towards the Palestinian-Israeli conflict? Did America practice any kind of pressure on France?
Answer
Regarding the double-standard policy, all the western countries have one standard. This one standard is supporting Israel and defending the existence of Israel. When they care about Palestinians, they are only concerned about the humanitarian issue and not about the legal rights of the Palestinian people.
We see the last signals on this matter what Tony Blair of Britain did when he proposed the International conference to be held in London not to pressure or the Israeli government to implement at least the Road Map but to pressure the Palestinian authority to be qualified to be part of the negotiations and to do reforms.
When it comes to France as regards the banning of Al-Manar and to pressure the Eutelsat not to broadcast Al-Manar through their airwaves, it means that this is a political decision and that France was under an Israeli and American pressure. Even the US State Department welcomed the France step on the 13th of December.
Name
Abdullah
- Pakistan
Profession
Question
As Salamu alaykum. Will you please give us a brief detail of the subject matter. Thank you very much.
Answer
Al-Manar, one of the most popular Television network in the Arab world and outside, has been banned off the US and Canada airwaves on the 17th of December after the US State Department designated it as a supporter of what they call it "terrorism". It has been accordingly put on the State Department TEL (Terrorist Exclusion List). Under the Israeli Lobby pressure who wants to silence thoughts that are not in the line with US and Israeli policies.
Name
Farah
-
Profession
Question
Who was behind this decision of banning Al-Manar TV off the US airwaves? Can you give us some details about what exactly happened?
Answer
The story began with many articles and reports that have been written by an employee with the Israeli Lobby in Washington. His name is Avi Jorisch who wrote many articles on Al-Manaer while he was working at Washington Institute for Near East Policy which is related to AIPAC organization. He then published a book entitled, "Beacon of Hatred". He even went to Beirut and met with some of Al-Manar officers.
With other American Jewish Organization, he started to pressure on behalf of the Israeli government the US government to ban Al-Manar TV off the US airwaves and asked the US government to consider Al-Manar as a terrorist organization and recommending to sanction any financial institutions affiliated to Al-Manar.
Name
Mona Ali
- Australia
Profession
Question
What was the reaction of the American Society and the Muslim communities in US to the State Department decree to stop broadcasting Al-Manara?
Answer
Al-Manar is very popular to the Arab and Muslim communities in the United States because of its strong support to resisting the Israeli occupation. The Arab and Muslim community disagreed with the State Department decision that Al-Manar incites violence. Even the Arab and Muslim community in America considered that by that Standard the US government should shut the Fox News for inciting violence against Muslims. They also hope that the US government will retract its decision regarding Al-Manar.
There were many Americans especially scholars, intellectuals and experts on the Middle East Issues considered the State Department decision to be a threat to freedom of speech and freedom of press. Even the Jewish Telegraph Agency said that.
Name
Jamil
-
Profession
Student
Question
Is it true that Al-Manar has breached the signed agreement with France, which led to the final ban? What was the signed agreement for exactly?
Answer
I don't think Al-Manar has breached the signed agreement with France. Many statements by Al-Manar stated that Al-Manar is still committed to the agreement with the France Council of State. According to the agreement, Al-Manar pledged not to broadcast any anti-Jewish or anti-Semitic incitement. Then in one of Al-Manar talk shows, one of the audience expressed his view that "the Jews spread AIDS around the world and in the Arab world." This actually does not reflect Al-Manar position on the Jews, but it was merely a point of view by an ordinary viewer. So it seems that France, under the Israeli pressure, has taken this advantage in order to issue a pre-planned political decision on Al-Manar.
Name
Ihssane
- Canada
Profession
Question
Assalamou alaykoum i would like to know. al manar tv is it banned in Canada? Thank you.
Answer
Yes, it is banned in Canada on the same day it was banned in US. However, in France and the rest of Europe, people can still see it Al-Manar through the Arabsat and Nilesat.
Name
Ameen
- United States
Profession
Question
As far as I recall, it maybe the firs time for the US government to list a media outlet as terrorist, almost all the cases before were just organizations and institutions? What does this imply that a satellite channel be accused of even inciting against the Jews at a time the Jews possess many channels that can counter these so-called incitements?
Answer
Terrorist Organization under the UN and US definition means: to conduct violence acts against civilians. In this case, Al-Manar is a media outlet and even if somebody agrees with the US government that Al-Manar is part of Hizbullah, Hizbullah is on the US State Department terrorist list for so many years. And Al-Manar has been broadcasting since 2000, why it is banned now? It is a political issue related to Al-Manar rule in covering the Israeli occupation practices against Palestinians in West Bank and Gaza, and covering the American military practices in Iraq. Israel and US government want to silence any voice to condemn the atrocities and the occupation practices.
It is very ironic that these advance means of technology have imported from the west, especially the United State in the Arab world, but when the Arabs started to use it to expose the atrocities of occupation, they decided to muzzle freedom. Al-Manar was not the only Arab Seattleite to be attacked by the US, many other Satellites have been under the attack such as Aljazeera and Al-Arabiya.
Name
Khalid
-
Profession
Question
Do you think Al-Manar has a good chance to win the case if they refer the issue to the American court? Or the new amendments in the US constitutions can be a stumbling-block against any attempt to prove the State Department wrong?
Answer
I think any media outlet, including Al-Manar, which was subject to an American ban like this, can sue the US government. Any satellite channel or newspaper has the right to defend itself and its right to practice freedom of speech. There have been statements published in some Arabic newspapers that "they may consider making a lawsuit against the US government decision". It will not be easy, but it is possible. The ban on Al-Manar is a precedent that can be easily repeated with any other Arab media outlet.
Name
Michael
- United States
Profession
Question
It's crazy. America has turned into a an islamophobic place. Muslim people are good and hard working. The point is, it's funny how channels can reflect other views but somehow Muslims have to shut down or watch their words. The Israeli issue is real and needs attention. I'm so tired of it. It's as if we have learned nothing in the last 100 years on how to find peace. One cannot isolate a whole group of people, but rather must find ways to be fair and work together. Shutting down channels and things just make Muslim feel bad and fuel the hunger for extremists. I think the only way to stop this attitude would be for many white people to become Muslims so the government has to deal fairly with this situation. I know that sounds bad, but racist America is showing it's ugly head again and we need a serious change. Anyways, just my two cents.
Answer
Thanks for your comment.
Name
Curious
- United States
Profession
Question
Why is it that when a elevision station that supports conflict is kept off of the air it is a freedom of speech issue, and yet when a Muslim nation outlaws the peaceful dissemination of information regarding alternate religions it is not a freedom of speech issue?
Answer
All the Arab and Muslim countries state in their constitution that Islam is the State religion. However, freedom of religion is protected by the constitution. Egypt, for example, have about 10 Copts; they have their own courts and laws that govern their own life. There is no interference from the government in these issues. However, it is forbidden for any non-Muslim to publicly offend the mainstream religion. In the case of Al-Manar, it preaches a certain point of view and does not go against the American constitution or offend the American values.
Name
Anwar
-
Profession
Engieer
Question
Salaam. Do you think it's a good idea that all the Arab Muslim world should ban all TV stations of USA, Israel and France in retaliation bearing in mind that Al-Manar was banned illegally without a just reason?
Answer
No, I don't think so. If we defend our freedom of speech we have to let others enjoy the same thing we are struggling to achieve.
Name
Johnny
- Canada
Profession
Question
How can a satellite channel be blocked from Americans? I ask this because a man named Howard Stern has switched to satellite radio because of the government trying to block his broadcast. He uses language some do not agree with and it is a radio show that has been around for 15 years. I thought satellite was for paying customers, and thus, not blockable because it can't reach the general public per say - only subscribers invite the message in their homes...I think it would be good to see Muslim perspectives on things. I hate one-side news myself.
Answer
It is true that satellites are private companies, but when it comes to the United States they have to abide by the US laws. These companies are not only private, they are commercials and they have links to the US governments. What matters is that Al-Manar did not breach the American Law and it has been broadcasting for four year, why now it has been banned?
Name
Dr Hammad Lakhvi
- Pakistan
Profession
Question
You believe (as you said) that you have freedom of speech & thought according to US laws, is banning to Al-Manar not a bright example of the fact? As you were a journalist relating to Al-Manar and your voice has been banned. What will be the ultimate end (or next possible steps) against self-named "terrorism"?
Answer
I am a freelance journalist. I am not working exclusively to one media outlet. But I used to appear on Al-Manar as I do appear on many other Arab and American channels. My reports are published on daily basis in many Arabic newspapers outside US. With the term of "terrorist" I think the United States will expand this term to include many buddies as we are observing in reality.
Name
Editor
-
Profession
Answer
Finally, we would like to thank Mohammad S. Dalbah for speaking to Islamonline viewers today, and we also thank all those who participated in this dialogue. We apologize for not being able to accommodate all the questions within the time allocated to this session. We request our readers to join us in the upcoming sessions.
