Hamas bans Gaza TV show, angering journalists' union

GAZA, Aug 2 (Reuters) Hamas has ordered a Gaza television station to take a political affairs show off the air, a move the Palestinian journalists' union called today an attempt by the Islamist group to suppress freedom of the press.

The weekly ''Red Line'' is broadcast by Palestine Television, which moved to alternate studios in Gaza after Hamas seized its main facility after taking over the territory in fighting six weeks ago against the Fatah faction.

Hassan Abu Hasheesh, deputy minister of information in a Hamas-led government in Gaza, said the decision to ban the programme was not related to its content.

Abu Hasheesh said broadcasts of ''Red Line'', hosted by an unaffiliated political commentator, would not be allowed because Palestine Television ''ignored the government in Gaza to which it must report'', a reference to the station's refusal to recognise Hamas's authority.

After the ban was issued, Palestine Television did not broadcast the programme during its regular slot yesterday.

Tawfiq Abu Khoussa, a Fatah member who chairs the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate, said ''the actions of the de facto authority in Gaza'' represented ''suppression of press and media freedoms''.

Gaza-based human rights groups have accused Hamas fighters of a string of arrests of Fatah activists and alleged informants for Israel since taking over the territory.

Hamas has said arrests were not politically motivated but aimed at putting common criminals and ''collaborators'' with Israel behind bars.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights said members of Hamas's armed wing Izz el-Deen al-Qassam assaulted one of its lawyers two days ago.

REUTERS PD KN1903