RAMALLAH, July 29, 2017 (WAFA) – Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and the Ministry of Information strongly denounced on Saturday Israeli military raid of a media office in Ramallah.

Army units raided Palmedia office and broke into several media organizations that use the office for their operations causing damage and seizing discs and other equipment.

Erekat condemned the raid as “vindictive aimed at silencing the Palestinian voice that was able to expose the occupation’s  violations of international law and deliver the message of truth to the world.”

He was referring to the wide coverage of Israeli violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the mass protests that ensued.

“The impact of the media was so obvious on the occupation, it therefore decided to punish and harass it and retaliate against it,” he said in a statement.

The Ministry of Information also denounced the army raid against Palmedia office describing the action as “a hysterical campaign against media organizations.”

It said in a statement that the raid is proof that Israel “wants to block the picture” that exposes its actions to the world.

Both Erekat and the Ministry of Information called on international organizations to protect freedom of the press and expression in the occupied Palestinian territories.

M.K.