“MADA” is disappointed with Newseum- Washington DC decision to dishonor two Palestinian Journalists at the Journalists Memorial Rededication

14th May 2013: The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms expresses its disappointment and astonishment with Newseum decision to revoke its decision to honor the Palestinian Journalists Mohamed Salama and Hussam Al Koumi, who were killed by Israel Occupation Forces during their coverage of the Israeli aggression on Gaza last December. The dishonoring decision by Newseum was made after they came under pressure from the Israeli lobby and Jewish institutions in the United States.

Newseum informed MADA of their decision to enlist Al Koumi and Salama to the Journalists Memorial Rededication list, and requested MADA to provide contact information of the journalists’ families to inform them regarding the honoring for being killed while exercising their profession.

The Newseum Journalists Memorial Dedicated includes "the names of 2246 journalists who have been killed over the past decades, with a special honor for 84 journalists have been killed over the past year (including Al Koumi and Salama), according to their print adds, in the ceremony they organized on Saturday, 13/05/2013, to honor journalists whose names appear on the list, but we were surprised they deleted the names of the Palestinian Journalists .

It’s important to know that International institution working in the field of Media Freedoms such as the Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters without Borders, and the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, and others consider Al Koumi and Salama journalists killed in the line of duty.

The news of dishonoring the Palestinian Journalists by Newseum provoked many activists for freedom of expression and Palestine, who did not hesitate to express their disappointment and anger via Newseum’s facebook page, and by publishing articlescondemning this decision.

MADA expresses once again its disappointment by the decision by Newseum and its submission to Israeli pressure, with more than 20 Palestinian journalist killed by Israeli fire and who paid with their lives for their dedication in covering news since 2000.