Daoud Kuttab demanding free movement for Palestinian journalists

The general assembly of International Press Institute has voted unanimously Monday evening to add Daoud Kuttab to its board of director. This is the first time since the organization was established in 1950 that an Arab journalist has been elected to its board. Kuttab who was born in Jerusalem says that the election is an honor to all Arabs. Kuttab runs the Amman-based Community Media Network an Arab Ngo dedicated to advancing media in the Arab world. CMN also runs Radio al Balad and AmmanNet web site. The vote was taken during a meeting of IPI's members during the 62nd congress of IPI held in the Jordanian capital Amman. Kuttab informed PNN "I was a member of an International delegation who visited Palestine in February and issued an important international report regarding the difficulties the Palestinian media and journalists face." He continued, "A statement was released, in response to the report, by the International Press Institute calling on Israel to recognize the Palestinian press." Stressing, "Israel doesn't recognize the Palestinian media institutions, as it only recognizes Palestinian Journalists who work for international press." Kuttab concluded, "The report called Israel to recognize the Palestinian press and facilitate the movement of Journalists from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip and Jerusalem, and Vice Versa."