Networks To Palestinians: Free Journalist

Al Jazeera, BBC, Sky News And CNN Air Joint Broadcast For Kidnapped BBC Reporter's Release

(CBS/AP)  In an unprecedented show of unity and concern, three international news networks held a joint broadcast Thursday calling for the release of BBC journalist Alan Johnston, a month after he was kidnapped by Palestinian gunmen in Gaza City.

The 25-minute broadcast by the British Broadcasting Corp., Al-Jazeera and Sky News — with a contribution from CNN — was part of a day of public events meant to put pressure on the kidnappers, including an appeal from Johnston's father to "let my son go. Now. Today!"

Alan Johnston, a native of Scotland who was abducted at gunpoint on March 12, has been held longer than any other foreigner kidnapped in Gaza. Johnston, the only foreign reporter based in Gaza, was snatched just weeks before he was scheduled to end his three-year stint there. There has been no sign of life from him since, and no word from his captors.

In other developments:

(AP)

The Vatican's ambassador to Israel will not attend the annual Holocaust Memorial Day ceremonies at the Yad Vashem Museum in Jerusalem, reports CBS News correspondent Robert Berger. The Vatican is angry about a photo in the Holocaust museum of Pius XII, the pope during World War II. The caption suggests that the pope turned a blind eye to the murder of Jews, and the Vatican wants it removed. Yad Vashem said it is shocked and disappointed by the ambassador's decision to boycott the ceremony.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates will visit Israel next week, an Israeli official said Thursday — the first visit by a Pentagon chief since 2000. The Haaretz newspaper speculated that Gates might attempt to persuade Israel to ease its objections to Washington's planned offer of a major arms-sale package to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. Gates' trip has not yet been officially announced, and the exact date is unknown.

The European Union should urgently resume assistance to the new Palestinian unity government because spiraling poverty caused by the international financial embargo is threatening to turn it into a failed state, a leading aid group said. "The number of Palestinian people living in poverty has jumped by 30 percent, essential services are facing meltdown, and previously unknown levels of factional violence plague Palestinian streets," said a report by Oxfam, a U.K.-based charity.

Norway, the first country to recognize the Palestinians' new government, is ready to resume direct aid to that administration as soon as conditions permit, Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said Thursday.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the BBC on Wednesday that he had "credible evidence that Alan was safe and well," BBC director general Mark Thompson said during a news conference in Ramallah on Thursday.

Abbas aide Saeb Erekat said the Palestinian president had been reassured that Johnston was alive, and Abbas "is exerting every possible effort to ensure his release."

"I have never been more ashamed as a Palestinian than what I feel now with the continued abduction of Johnston," Erekat said.

The so-called "Day of Action" on behalf of Johnston was organized by the BBC to ensure that his plight is not forgotten.

In a morning news conference in London, the journalist's father, Graham Johnston, read an appeal to those holding him.

"You have families. Please think about what this is doing to my family," he said.

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© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Add a Comment

by grazinggoat April 12, 2007 7:54 PM PDT

Palestinians abductors should release this BBC journalist. It's unfortunate that such earnst and honest journalist be kidnapped. He's mainly trying to cleverly help out the Palestinian cause with some deep research and on field reports. He should not be the target of any political act of any type. No one journalist should be target to kidnapping (though some passive regugitators deserve it...)

Reply to this comment

by grazinggoat April 12, 2007 8:04 PM PDT

CBS: 'U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates will visit Israel next week, an Israeli official said Thursday %u2014 the first visit by a Pentagon chief since 2000. The Haaretz newspaper speculated that Gates might attempt to persuade Israel to ease its objections to Washington's planned offer of a major arms-sale package to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. Gates' trip has not yet been officially announced, and the exact date is unknown.'

-This is the perfect example of sneaky camouflaged despicable transaction by our stupid and low-level administration.
Why would they need this armament? They are not ar risk. Are they?

-Second of all, what if USA decided it was granting this military transaction to the Gulf-States, why would Israel object it? Why is USA accountable for in front of Israel?

Reply to this comment

by sandy19731 April 12, 2007 10:30 PM PDT

The power of a free press is a wonderful thing. May we never lose it. And, may it be compromised as little as possible.

Reply to this comment

by agnim April 12, 2007 11:56 PM PDT

"Networks To Palestinians: Free Journalist"

Why? LOL

I say CONFINE TROUBLE MAKING MORE MEDIA MORONS until the end of the conflict!

Reply to this comment

by simonstudio April 13, 2007 2:41 AM PDT

The Pope of the time did ignore the Holocaust. This is not impartial journalism you are presenting, but a distortion of history. This does not destroy the dignity of the present Catholic Religious administration, that I believe is pious and righteous in most matters... and is revered by many modern Jews and Israelis as being a strong moral force to be listened to. It is so frustrating to see so much revisionist history presented by the media in the last ten years. Even the very word "Palestinian" would not of been mainstream just ten years ago, when most educated people would of realized that it was a political fiction designed by a violent minority interest.

Reply to this comment

by zootallures2 April 13, 2007 9:31 AM PDT

"I have never been more ashamed as a Palestinian than what I feel now with the continued abduction of Johnston."

But you are not ashamed to delibarately shoot toddlers? Not ashamed to kill children by smashing in their face with rocks? How about targeting pregnant women knives? Just whine for the days of you and your British pals?

Reply to this comment

by zootallures2 April 14, 2007 7:23 AM PDT

The Arabs should be ashamed to have so much land and oil and leave their people living in such poverty. So cheap they use propaganda and strap bombs on their poor and children.

Reply to this comment

by zootallures2 April 14, 2007 7:27 AM PDT

Try dumping the PA and Hamas and going for one state. Arab Israelis live pretty good for second class citizens. Better than I do in the US ans A. You have chosen Barabbas and the Romans over the Messiah again ...LOL Palestina...LOL

Reply to this comment

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[grazinggoat]

Palestinians abductors should release this BBC journalist. It's unfortunate that such earnst and honest journalist be kidnapped. He's mainly trying to cleverly help out the Palestinian cause with some deep research and on field reports. He should not be the target of any political act of any type. No one journalist should be target to kidnapping (though some passive regugitators deserve it...)

[grazinggoat]

CBS: 'U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates will visit Israel next week, an Israeli official said Thursday %u2014 the first visit by a Pentagon chief since 2000. The Haaretz newspaper speculated that Gates might attempt to persuade Israel to ease its objections to Washington's planned offer of a major arms-sale package to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. Gates' trip has not yet been officially announced, and the exact date is unknown.'

-This is the perfect example of sneaky camouflaged despicable transaction by our stupid and low-level administration.
Why would they need this armament? They are not ar risk. Are they?

-Second of all, what if USA decided it was granting this military transaction to the Gulf-States, why would Israel object it? Why is USA accountable for in front of Israel?

[sandy19731]

The power of a free press is a wonderful thing. May we never lose it. And, may it be compromised as little as possible.

[agnim]

"Networks To Palestinians: Free Journalist"

Why? LOL

I say CONFINE TROUBLE MAKING MORE MEDIA MORONS until the end of the conflict!

[simonstudio]

The Pope of the time did ignore the Holocaust. This is not impartial journalism you are presenting, but a distortion of history. This does not destroy the dignity of the present Catholic Religious administration, that I believe is pious and righteous in most matters... and is revered by many modern Jews and Israelis as being a strong moral force to be listened to. It is so frustrating to see so much revisionist history presented by the media in the last ten years. Even the very word "Palestinian" would not of been mainstream just ten years ago, when most educated people would of realized that it was a political fiction designed by a violent minority interest.

[zootallures2]

"I have never been more ashamed as a Palestinian than what I feel now with the continued abduction of Johnston."

But you are not ashamed to delibarately shoot toddlers? Not ashamed to kill children by smashing in their face with rocks? How about targeting pregnant women knives? Just whine for the days of you and your British pals?

[zootallures2]

The Arabs should be ashamed to have so much land and oil and leave their people living in such poverty. So cheap they use propaganda and strap bombs on their poor and children.

[zootallures2]

Try dumping the PA and Hamas and going for one state. Arab Israelis live pretty good for second class citizens. Better than I do in the US ans A. You have chosen Barabbas and the Romans over the Messiah again ...LOL Palestina...LOL