The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today welcomed the announcement by its affiliate in Palestine, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS), to develop a code of ethics for Palestinian journalists and establish an independent press council. 

"This is excellent news for both Palestinian Journalists and the Palestinian people who will ultimately benefit from structures that improve the ethical standards and independence of their journalism," said Wolfgang Mayer, IFJ Treasurer. "It is also a tribute to the efforts of the new leadership of the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate to set about a serious programme of reform and renewal of Palestinian journalism."

The announcement followed a two day meeting of Palestinian journalists and editors hosted by the PJS in Ramallah on ethics and media self-regulation. Also participating were Wolfgang Mayer, IFJ Treasurer and member of the German Press Council, and Kjetil Haanes from Unesco Norway and former Chair of the Norwegian Press Council.

"A press council is important in order to protect and strengthen the editorial freedom, to promote media quality and to strengthen democracy," said Dr. Abdel Nasser Najjar, PJS Chairman.

At a meeting with the government media director Ghassan Khatib and deputy minister of information Amutawakel Taha, the IFJ and PJS representatives stressed that the state should never interfere in the content of the media, and that the role of the state is to be a facilitator for press freedom and freedom of speech.

The PJS also announced that the next PJS congress will be held on August 7, 2011.

The meeting was part of the IFJ's regional Ethical Journalism Initiative Campaign that is supported by Unesco Norway and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

For more information, please contact IFJ on + 32 2 235 22 07

The IFJ represents more than 600.000 members in 125 countries