DAMASCUS -- Participants in the Third International Conference of Arab and Islamic Media to Support the Palestinian People, which is currently underway in Damascus, have pointed to the need for Islamic media outlets to draw up a common strategy.
In the opening speech on Monday, Syrian Vice President Farouq al-Shara described the situation in the region as very sensitive and said Israel is using “software and hardware” methods in an attempt to turn world public opinion against Islamic and Arab nations.
On the responsibility of the Islamic media to counter the U.S.-Israeli plot against Muslims, he said that Islamic media outlets should perform their duty by compiling a common information dissemination strategy and proving to Westerners that Islamic nations are in the right.
A delegation from Iran comprising media directors and experts on Palestinian affairs, including the managing directors of the Mehr and Fars news agencies, and the managing directors of the Tehran Times, Iran, and Al-Vefaq newspapers, are also participating in the meeting.
During the conference, 13 expert committees will draw up a draft resolution for final approval and will prepare a strategic formula for making the world more aware of the suffering of the oppressed Palestinians.
Subjects such as Syria’s Golan Heights, which is occupied by the Zionist regime, and the role of media in differentiating between resistance and terrorism will be discussed in the meeting.
Although the media have a unique status in international developments, unfortunately, the media outlets of the Islamic world have failed to adopt a united approach to confront the Western conspiracies, he noted.
Zarghami mentioned the call of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei for Islamic solidarity, saying the ulema should formulate strategies for Islamic unity and the media should play a more active role in this regard.
Palestinian Information Minister Mostafa al-Barghouti, Al-Manar TV Director Abdullah Qassir, who is also a Hezbollah MP in the Lebanese Parliament, and the Arab League deputy secretary general for media affairs all emphasized the necessity of devising a practical plan to establish an Islamic-Arab front to counter Western media propaganda.
Syrian Information Minister Muhsen Bilal told the delegates that unity among Islamic media outlets would isolate Israel politically.
“Today, reliable and precise information and the presentation of a common Islamic media strategy for countering propaganda by the West and Israel can be effective for politically isolating this regime (Israel),” the Syrian minister told the Mehr News Agency.
In order to maintain their independence and Islamic identity, Islamic countries should employ soft approaches, he said.
This method has been fabulously successful for the Imperialist/Zionist Alliance - so many of the Zionist media routinely trash Israel that you literally cannot tell that they are on our side.
This is just a taste of some of the brilliance that comes from 3000 years of controlling the world.
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