Satellite

The Board of Deputies of British Jews has renewed its call on the Government to ensure that the television station Al-Manar, mouthpiece of the terrorist organisation Hezbollah, cannot be viewed from within the United Kingdom.

The station was recently granted a licence to broadcast in France, following an agreement between Al-Manar and the French authorities on 19 November. However, within hours of transmitting, Al-Manar had made claims of a Zionist plot to infect Arabs and Muslims with AIDS.  Following this, and other similar incidents, the French Prime Minister announced that the station would be banned.

In his letter to Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, Board Director General Neville Nagler noted that the station was currently available via satellite and internet connection in the UK.

He added, "Al-Manar has an overtly political agenda and peddles endless antisemitic incitement.  It is imperative the British Government should take immediate action to ensure that material from this station is not available in this country.

"The proliferation of such malicious, antisemitic lies should be of concern to us all.  They damage interfaith relations within British society, and encourage hatred and violence.   The Government cannot allow supporters of terrorism to preach their evil messages freely in the UK."