Agence France Presse fires Palestinian journalist in West Bank

Agence France Presse (AFP) has sacked its Palestinian correspondent in the West Bank, the journalist’s union said yesterday. Nasser Abu Baker lost his job apparently after the agency came under “Israeli diktats”, said the Syndicate of Palestinian Journalists.

The union condemned the sacking of Abu Baker, calling it an “arbitrary” measure against a journalist with twenty years’ experience. “This decision came after repeated incitement campaigns against Abu Baker over his stances and his activities as the head of the syndicate. It is mainly due to his involvement in the issue of seeking to bring occupation leaders before international courts for their crimes against his fellow Palestinian journalists.”

The syndicate described the sacking as a “shameful” move by AFP. It called upon the Palestinian Authority to revoke the accreditation of the international news agency “immediately”.

READ: Israel continues to harass Palestine journalists

In the meantime, it requested all official bodies and media institutions not to deal with AFP’s office in the occupied West Bank, and to consider the sacking among other Israeli crimes against journalists.

According to the syndicate, Abu Baker was subject to a “systematic harassment campaign during the past five years from the AFP management and its former and current senior staff aiming to push him to resign due to his efforts to defend journalists.”

The French news agency has not yet commented on the union’s statement. All of the Palestinian media institutions, however, have condemned the sacking of. The Forum of Palestinian Journalists described it as “racist” and stressed that it was the result of “Israeli pressure”. The forum declared its solidarity and support for Abu Baker.