Ramallah: The Palestinian National Authority plans to complain against Qatar-based news network Al Jazeera at the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) for theft of confidential documents, a top Palestinian official said on Monday.
Dr Saeb Erekat, the Chief Palestinian Negotiator, said the Palestinian Authority will bring up its case against Al Jazeera to the IFJ in the next 14 days. He accused Al Jazeera of stealing the documents, which he termed a crime committed against the Palestinian people.
"The documents were stolen, which is a serious crime against the Palestinian people. This is a national security issue," he said.
Speaking at a political lecture held at Al Najah University in Nablus, Dr Erekat said the documents relating to the Palestinian National Authority's dealings with the Israelis over Occupied Jerusalem, which Al Jazeera published recently, will be presented to the IFJ. The body will then decide about the necessary legal or other measures to be taken against those who played "dirty games with the national pride and dignity of the Palestinian people".
"We will approach the International Federation of Journalists to complain about Al Jazeera's fierce attack against the Palestinian Authority and its figures," Dr. Erekat said.
"Al Jazeera's unprecedented attack has targeted all the Palestinian people and their cause, as the published documents included irrelevant words. The documents have been leaked in an illegal way and do not indict the Palestinian negotiator at all.
"I and I alone take the responsibility for the damage caused to each Palestinian after this attack on the Palestinian national project," he said, apologising to all Palestinians who suffered or felt any anguish after the documents were published.
Dr Erekat said he was ready to go through the documents one by one and gave a prolonged lecture on his own version of the documents leaked to Al Jazeera.
