Gaza, Al Ray - Ministry of Information welcomed the International Federation of Journalists issuing a decision expelling ‘Israel’ from its membership. 

The ministry said in a statement published on Wednesday that the move, albeit late, is in the right direction and a normal reaction to the Israeli occupation crimes against the people and the violations of press freedom.

Director-General of the Government Information Office, Mr Salamah Marouf said that "Such a move comes after many demands by the ministry and other Palestinian media bodies,”

Marouf called on all relevant regional and international institutions to take the same step, urging for a follow-up prosecution of the Israeli occupation murderers of Palestinian media workers by international courts.

He called for unifying Palestinian press movement in the framework of a unitary union that has the potential to confront the occupation propaganda and win for the sacrifices made by the Palestinian journalists.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) issued a decision expelling ‘Israel’ from the IFJ.

In a meeting of the IFJ which took place in Brussels on 28 and 29 of June, 14 countries out of 17 voted in favor of the decision with 3 abstaining.

The IFJ was founded in 1926 and re-founded in 1946 and 1952. It represents more than 600,000 journalists working in 140 countries worldwide.