In an interview that aired on Syrian TV, Abd Al-Hadi Mahfouz, president of the Lebanese National Media Council, discussed "a U.S. [Congress] bill that targets the Arab satellites, Arabsat and Nilesat, as well as several TV stations," and discussed "the MEMRI media organization, which was also behind the banning of [Hizbullah's] Al-Manar TV in France" to "provid[e] the Congress members with false information about the region." He added that if the U.S. stopped the broadcasting of Al-Jazeera TV, the Arabs should reciprocate by banning CNN.[1]
MEMRI has released numerous translations and analyses of anti-American and antisemitic incitement from Hizbullah's Al-Manar TV, beginning in 2003 with the Ramadan series Al-Shatat.[2] MEMRI research on this subject was personally shown to Germany's chancellor and foreign minister, France's prime minister, Sweden's prime minister, and numerous high-ranking U.S. government officials. This research prompted France to ban the channel in December 2004.
· To view this clip on MEMRI TV, visit http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2427.
· To view the MEMRI TV page for Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV, visit http://www.memritv.org/content/en/tv_channel_indiv.htm?id=175.
· To view the MEMRI TV page for Hizbullah's Al-Manar TV, visit http://www.memritv.org/subject/en/116.htm.
"There Is A U.S. [Congress] Bill That Targets the Arab Satellites...; Several TV Stations Have Been Labeled 'Terrorist Channels'"
Abd Al-Hadi Mahfouz: "There is a U.S. [Congress] bill that targets the Arab satellites, Arabsat and Nilesat, as well as several TV stations. At least four TV channels have been labeled 'terrorist channels.' This bill was tabled after Israel rejected U.S. President Barack Obama's call to stop the settlements as a prerequisite to peace negotiations in the region.
[...]
"This led to a conflict between the new U.S. administration and Israel. Therefore, there was an Israeli effort, especially on the part of the MEMRI media organization, which was also behind the banning of Al-Manar TV in France...
"The MEMRI media organization and AIPAC provided the Congress members with false information about the region, and tried to shift attention from the conflict between the American and Israeli policies to claims about the region being a source of hatred towards U.S. policy, towards the U.S., and even towards the American people." [...]
"If the U.S. Stops the Broadcasting of Al-Jazeera TV... We Will Stop CNN"-
"The U.S. might impose sanctions on Arabsat and Nilesat and paralyze them. Therefore, the Arab and Islamic world must strive to have new satellites, preferably with official protection of the Arab and Islamic regimes. Otherwise, we will face a difficult situation. In addition, Arab petrodollars must be used to buy shares in the leading media companies in the world.
[...]
"In the face of this American bill, the Arabs should consider the possibility of responding in kind. If the U.S. stops the broadcasting of Al-Jazeera TV – after all, at one point, U.S. President George Bush considered bombing Al-Jazeera TV... If they really intend to stop the broadcasting of the Arab TV channels – why shouldn't there be an Arab threat to respond in kind? If you stop the broadcasting of any Arab TV channel, we will stop CNN or..."
Interviewer: "Is that possible?"
Abd Al-Hadi Mahfouz: "Why not?"
[1] The interview aired on March 7, 2010.
[2] For more on the "Al-Shatat" series, see MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 627, "Al-Shatat: The Syrian-Produced Ramadan 2003 TV Special," December 12, 2003, Al-Shatat: The Syrian-Produced Ramadan 2003 TV Special .
