Kidnapping in Gaza of the journalist Alan Johnston (Liz Lynne)

Kidnapping in Gaza of the journalist Alan Johnston

April 26, 2007 12:00 AM
By Liz Lynne

I too would like to offer my support and that of the ALDE Group to Alan Johnston and his family.

I do not think any of us can imagine why he is being held. He is a man who has consistently spoken up for the Palestinian people. To kidnap someone like him is unbelievable. What do they hope to achieve? It certainly does nothing for the Palestinian cause, as many Palestinians themselves have pointed out. His only offence is his belief that the story of Gaza and its people should be told in a fair and balanced way, and he has being doing that in an exceptional manner for the last three years. He was the only foreign correspondent living permanently in the Gaza Strip.

We all hoped that he would have been released by now, as the 14 others kidnapped since 2005 were released, and we are today adding our voices to those calling for the Palestinian Authority to redouble its efforts to secure Alan Johnston's speedy release. We are also calling for all attacks on journalists to cease. What more can any of us say? I am sure that people across the EU are hoping and praying for his release. All we are doing today is trying to add our voices to those of his parents and his colleagues, and to say to his kidnappers: realise that if anything happens to him, you will have lost a strong voice telling your story to the world. All you will achieve is to isolate yourself and the Palestinian people further. That cannot be what you want. You want your voice to be heard, not to be further marginalised. These acts make it more difficult for those of us who have always supported the Palestinian cause to persuade people of the validity of the argument, and that is why it is completely self-defeating and betrays the Palestinian people, who continue to suffer.

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