Palestinian American Congress criticizes media coverage of Gaza evacuation

Press Release: The Palestinian American Congress
Israeli settlers evacuation from occupied Gaza and the Poor Media Coverageof the Gaza "Disengagement"

Media Contacts:Marwan El-Masri 617-694-3597 melmasri@earthlink.net
Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD Tel 203-676-2986 qumsi001@yahoo.com

New York 8/20/05-The Palestinian American Congress is appalled at the media coverage of the Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian Gaza Strip. The media is projecting the evacuation of Jewish settlers as an Israeli sacrifice filled with emotional scenes. No such coverage wasaccorded the destruction (with no compensation) of thousands of Palestinian homes. We urge the media to include a better and widerperspective beyond the hype of removing the Gaza settlers who representless than 2% of colonial settlers in the West Bank (including East Jerusalem).

According to International Law, all 450,000 settlers (half in East Jerusalem) are illegal and have been illegal for the past 38years. The media fails to mention the plight and the suffering of thePalestinians under Israeli occupation, the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank at an alarming rate, the continued confiscationof Palestinian land in East Jerusalem, and the continued constructionof the separation wall on Palestinian land.

"While the evacuation of Israeli presence from any portion of theoccupied territories is welcomed, it must be part of a negotiated planwith the Palestinians as dictated by the U.S. envisioned road map toencompass a future contiguous Palestinian state" said Sameer Tuffaha, Chairman of the Board of the Palestinian American Congress.

We call on the US and the International Community to insist that Israelcomply with International Law and International Human Rights standards.PAC has available a list of speakers in all major US cities and inseveral states who can provide a Palestinian perspective on issues likethe disengagement smokescreen, the wall being built on Palestinianland, settlements in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and refugees.(resources below)

The Palestinian American Congress (PAC)P.O.Box 2302, Astoria, New York 11102

http://www.pac-national.org/