Palestinian journalists union admits error concerning ban on photos of armed children

The Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate (PJS) in the Palestinian Occupied territories, today reversed its much-criticised decision of three days ago to ban local and foreign journalists taking pictures of masked gunmen or of children carrying weapons or wearing military uniforms in street demonstrations. The PJS Council said it knew nothing about the statement, "which we condemn. It did not in any way represent the position of the PJS, which honours the role of media personnel," said the union's leader, Naeem Tubasi. He said the statement had been issued by a senior member of the PJS acting on his own and had not been authorised by the union. The Palestinian information ministry had also condemned the ban, saying it "did not reflect the position of the Palestinian National Authority." _____ 08.26 - Palestinian journalists' union bans photos of armed children Reporters Without Borders called today on the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate to immediately reverse its ban on local and foreign journalists taking pictures of children carrying weapons or wearing military uniforms. The union, announcing the measure yesterday throughout the Palestinian occupied territories, said such pictures were "a flagrant violation of the rights of children." But Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Ménard called the ban "a misguided way to protect children aimed at misinforming the world about the real situation in the Occupied Territories." He added: "It is also very odd, to say the least, for a journalists' union to forbid journalists to do their job." The union said any Palestinian journalist filming or photographing armed para-military children or masked men would face sanctions by the union, since such pictures "serve Israel" and its "campaign against our just (Palestinian) cause." It said Palestinians working for foreign media should ensure their foreign colleagues respected the ban. The union called on Palestinian groups to stop using children in military uniform and masked men in their activities and said it would boycott rallies where they appeared. A cameraman and a photographer from Reuters had their pictures seized in Bethlehem on 1 April while they were covering the killing of a man suspected of collaborating with Israel.