PARIS, January 12, 2009 (WAFA)- The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, deplored attacks on media installations in Gaza and condemned the killing of Palestinian journalist Basel Faraj who was killed on the line of duty on January  6.

The Director-General recalled UN Security Council resolution 1738 of December 23 2006, which forbids attacks against journalists and media installations. Referring to the General Assembly resolution 63/100 A-B of December 5 2008, which calls upon Member States to reaffirm their commitment to the principles of freedom of the press and freedom of information and emphasizes the importance of ensuring diversity of sources and free access to information, Mr. Matsuura called on the Israeli Occupation Authorities to allow local and international media professionals to report on events in the area.

Condemning the killing of journalist Basel Faraj, the Director-General stated, “Basel Faraj has paid for his dedication to his profession with his life.” He further highlighted the importance of respecting the right of journalists to exercise their professional duties and keep the world informed about what is taking place in Gaza.

Basel Faraj, who worked as a cameraman for the Algerian TV network ENTV and for the Palestine Broadcast Production Company, died on January 6 from wounds sustained during an Israeli air strike on December  27, 2008.