farmdoc's blog post number 459

The website of the International Federation of Journalists [IFJ] says: it’s the world’s largest organisation of journalists; it was set up in 1926 and today it represents some 600,000 members in 123 countries; the IFJ doesn’t subscribe to any given political viewpoint, but promotes human rights, democracy and pluralism; it’s opposed to discrimination of all kinds and condemns the use of media as propaganda or to promote intolerance and conflict; and it believes in freedom of political and cultural expression and defends trade union and other basic human rights. Fine. But last 7 June the IFJ expelled the 800-member National Federation of Israeli Journalists – ostensibly for not paying its dues, but perhaps for political reasons. Who knows? Anyway the next IFJ meeting’s to be held in Jordan next October. Last Monday the Jordanian Press Association’s Vice President Hikmat Momani vomited up this load of bile which belies the IFJ’s stated apolitical stance. I remind him Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1994. And I draw his attention to Articles 2, 10, 11 and 25 which he clearly breaches in his statement. The esteemed IFJ membership includes such bastions of freedom of speech and expression as Iran, Libya, Palestine (wherever that is), Russia, Sudan and Venezuela. But not Israel, which is freer than them all – and then some. As for Mr Momani, he’s a disgrace to his profession and his nation. I hope he chokes on his vomit. He deserves to.