About Us
Pursuant to the decision adopted by the Palestinian National Council in its extraordinary session, held in Cairo in April 1972, the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) Executive Committee issued a decision establishing the Palestinian News & Information Agency (WAFA) on June 5, 1972. WAFA was established as an independent body that was structurally, politically and administratively linked to the PLO Executive Committee with a mandate to confront the dominant Israeli propaganda at the time and serve as an independent platform to report events from the official Palestinian perspective without being subject to any trusteeship (guardianship) or subordination.
Vision and Mission:
The vision and mission of WAFA are established as follows:Vision:WAFA seeks to produce and disseminate news and information on Palestine worldwide as well as to provide readers with insight into events from a Palestinian perspective.WAFA seeks to keep the public opinion worldwide informed about Palestine and provide Palestinians with foreign news.Mission:Harnessing its creativity, know-how and professionalism, WAFA strives to influence the public opinion at the local and international levels, with focus on the religious, geographic and historical importance of Palestine.
Goals, WAFA seeks to achieve the following goals:
Project the proper image of Palestine in a manner that shows the Palestinian people’s eligibility to exercise its right to freedom, independence and sovereignty.
Document domestic events
Build a cutting-edge national information system
Ensure an appropriate information environment for decision makers to take informed decisions
Enhance the personnel’s performance and skills and build their capacities in accordance to methodological plans.
WAFA’s legal framework
The PLO Executive Committee’s decision of June 5, 1972, which was based on the decision adopted by the Palestinian National Council in its extraordinary session in April 1972, serves as the legal framework governing the presence ]operation[ of WAFA. Following the establishment of the Palestinian Authority (PA), and the subsequent relocated of its headquarters to Palestine, WAFA has become subject to the Information Law of 1996. However, this has not entailed any change in WAFA’s legal, structural and political status.
On March 20, 2008, President Mahmoud Abbas issued a presidential decree merging the General (State) Information Service and the Palestinian News Agency in one institution called the Palestinian News & Information Agency (WAFA). The decree has institutionally restructured WAFA in terms of job specializations and tasks based on the organizational structure, taking into account the hierarchical reporting line in a manner that ensures the better implementation of job tasks, in line with the relevant administrative rules and regulations. On May 9, 2011, President Abbas also issued a presidential decree on the organization of WAFA’s work pursuant to Item II of Article VI on drawing up WAFA’s administrative and organizational structure, which ushered in a new institutional structure for WAFA in terms of job specializations and tasks.
Functions and authorities
WAFA exercises the following functions and authorities pursuant to the Presidential Decree No. 6 of 2011 on Regulating WAFA’s Work:
Gather news, produce studies and information, and conduct, broadcast and disseminate press investigations in accordance with the provisions of the presidential decree,
Develop and train WAFA’s vocational staff in order to achieve WAFA’s goals and orientations,
Contribute to the fulfillment of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s public policies in line with the higher Palestinian interests,
Exchange information and news with local, Arab and international news agencies in line with WAFA’s goals and objectives,
Develop the work of the National Information Center in line with WAFA’s goals,
Set up and develop the multimedia service besides to other necessary services,
Develop periodic and non-periodic specialized studies, research and publications that have a limited or broad scope,
Enhance WAFA’s financial resources through the provision, marketing and selling of news, video, technical and training services,
Collect fees for the services, subscriptions and any other returns from the beneficiaries of the services provided by WAFA.
