Wafa

History

Early years (1972–1994)

Following a decision at the Palestinian National Council's special session in Cairo in April 1972, the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization announced the establishment of Wafa as the official news agency of the Palestinians, based in Beirut on June 5, 1972. While initially Wafa focused on publishing "the official version of news about Palestinian affairs," especially military statements of its revolutionary leadership, Wafa's work gradually expanded. It began issuing felasteen el-thawra (meaning "Palestinian revolution"), a weekly magazine headed by Ahmed Abdel-Rahman.

During PLO's presence in Lebanon, Wafa was frequently quoted by foreign correspondents and news agencies. According to Kenneth R. Timmerman, writing for Commentary, Wafa was instrumental in shaping the Western narrative of the 1982 Lebanon War:

Following the PLO's ouster from Lebanon during the 1982 Lebanon War, Wafa resumed its activities in Cyprus and Tunis from November 1982.

Under the PA (1994–2005)

As a consequence of the Oslo Accords in 1994, the PLO's media institutions transferred to the aegis of the Palestinian Authority. Wafa opened offices in Gaza City and Ramallah.

Under Mahmoud Abbas (2004–present)

In April 2005, Mahmoud Abbas transferred the PNA's media assets, including Wafa, to the Palestinian Ministry of Information under Nabil Shaath. At the same time, he merged the General Information Commission into Wafa. Wafa was previously under the PA presidency and the PLO Executive Committee. Palestinian journalists had complained about the PNA's strict control over official media outlets, and the move was seen as an attempt to improve the official media's independence.

Hamas won the 2006 Palestinian legislative election and to preempt Hamas from asserting control of the media assets, Abbas transferred them back to the presidential office.

In September 2006, gunmen stormed Wafa's offices in Khan Younis and smashed equipment and beat up one reporter.

In 2015, Abbas appointed Khoulud Asaf as the new head of WAFA, the first female head of the organization. The president of the PA appoints WAFA's head, and the organization is viewed an arm of the Palestinian government, rather than an independent agency that criticizes the Palestinian government.

On December 10, 2018, Israeli soldiers raided Wafa's offices in Ramallah and fired tear gas into the building as part of a manhunt for gunmen involved in a December 9 attack that wounded seven Israeli civilians. The Palestinian Journalists' Union, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the International Federation of Journalists condemned the Israeli action.

In 2019, Wafa won the Federation of Arab News Agencies award for best report, a regional organization of national news agencies in the Arab World.

Foreign language editions

In October 2005, Wafa re-launched its French service. The French service had previously operated in Tunisia until 1994.

In 2009, Wafa launched a Hebrew version of its website; the content of this service would also focus on Arab citizens of Israel.{{cite news|title=Palestinian news agency launches Hebrew website

In 2022, Wafa relaunched its Hebrew service in order to "convey the Palestinian point of view to Israeli society", according to Wafa's editor-in-chief.

References

References

1. Abdelal, W.. (2016). "Hamas and the Media: Politics and strategy". Taylor & Francis.
2. Kuttab, Daoud. (January 14, 2016). "The year of Palestinian leadership change has begun - Middle East".
3. "Our Address".
4. Line, Media. (August 18, 2015). "In first, PA appoints woman head of official Palestinian news agency".
5. (July 8, 2004). "Arafat minion as professor".
6. "Palestinian News & Information Agency-WAFA".
7. [[Rashid Khalidi]], ''Under Siege: P.L.O. Decisionmaking During the 1982 War,'' 1986, p. 7
8. (January 25, 2017). "Critical language analysis of Palestinian and Israeli online newspapers and news websites during the 2014 Gaza War".
9. Agencies, The New Arab Staff &. (January 6, 2022). "Palestinian Wafa news agency relaunches Hebrew service".
10. "News Media in the Arab World: A Study of 10 Arab and Muslim Countries". [[Bloomsbury Publishing]].
11. (1983). "Midstream". Theodor Herzl Foundation..
12. Timmerman, Kenneth R.. (January 1, 1983). "How the PLO Terrorized Journalists in Beirut".
13. Taylor & Francis Group. (30 October 2003). "The Middle East and North Africa 2004". Psychology Press.
14. UNESCO Office Ramallah. (24 November 2014). "Assessment of media development in Palestine: based on UNESCO's media development indicators". UNESCO.
15. (May 4, 2005). "Shake-up of Palestinian media".
16. Amira Halperin. (7 November 2018). "The Use of New Media by the Palestinian Diaspora in the United Kingdom". Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
17. (September 19, 2006). "Gunmen attack Palestinian news agency in Gaza - English".
18. (December 11, 2018). "OIC slams Israeli raid on Palestine news agency office".
19. "Israeli army raids Palestinian news agency in West Bank".
20. (December 11, 2018). "Palestine : IFJ condemns Israeli raid on WAFA news agency / FIJ".
21. (2018-12-10). "IDF hunts Palestinian gunmen, raids PA’s official Wafa news agency in Ramallah". [[Times of Israel]].
22. "ONA elected president of FANA; SPA, KUNA as vice-presidents, SPA wins best Picture Award 2019 The official Saudi Press Agency".
23. "Research - Local Research on Media - West Bank and Gaza Media Guide - June 2006".
24. (2022-01-07). "Palestinian Authority's Wafa news agency relaunches Hebrew service". Times of Israel.