DHAKA, Feb 25, 2024 (BSS) - State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat has proposed creation of a collaborative digital platform to combat the disinformation campaign over Israeli Genocidal invasion of Gaza as he joined a special OIC conference of information ministers in Turkey.

   “Israel has systematically disseminated false and misleading news to hide the cruelty and grave violation of international law in Gaza,” an information ministry statement quoted him as telling the conference on Saturday in Istanbul.

   Arafat said a “collaborative digital platform” must be created to combat the spreading of misleading disinformation against Palestine and requested the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) secretariat to immediately prepare a plan for its launching.

   “Bangladesh is ready to support the efforts of the OIC Secretariat to establish a standard information and documents pool containing documents of war crimes committed by Israel,” he added.

   A video message by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan marked the opening of the conference when OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha, Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Information Nabil Abu Rudeineh, Turkey's Communications Directorate President Fahrettin Altun delivered speeches.

   The conference drew information ministers of the 49-member grouping of Muslim majority nations while 25 of them delivered speeches on their countries behalf in the opening session.

   Arafat called Israel's “despicable disinformation campaign” an attempt to cover up blatant war crimes that indiscriminately targeted children, women, the elderly, journalists and human rights activists and added “the world has hardly seen the continued killing of journalists and spreading of disinformation in Gaza”.

   The Bangladeshi junior minister floated a seven-point of recommendation to end the brutal Israeli invasion with the first one being intensified campaign to stop immediately the conflict and ensure justice against crimes against humanity.

   Secondly, he suggested, steps to keep open a humanitarian corridor for a continuous, rapid and safe supply of food, water, medicine and other life-saving materials to the residents of Gaza.

   Arafat’s third point sought to hold Israel accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity and support South Africa in legal fight against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

   In his subsequent points the state-minister sought the review of the implementation process of all the agreed decisions in the UN, Arab Peace Initiative and the Quartet Road Map and unequivocal unity of the Muslim Ummah on Palestine issue and to plan a clear timeline to have a two-state solutions with the pre-1967 border living side by side under UN resolutions 242 and 338.

   Arafat then called for raising a “collective voice” condemning Israeli’s disinformation campaign and highlight its attempts to cover up the massacre and murder of innocent civilians and professionals.

   In his seventh point he proposed urgent steps to establish an OIC Media Forum.

   The OIC convened the information minister’s special meeting on “The Israeli Occupation Authority’s Disinformation and Hostility against Journalists and Media Outlets in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.

   The conference came as media analysts and security experts said  Israeli authorities including its defence forces intensified its efforts to deflect responsibility, sow doubt as it seeks to justify its the narrative for the invasion in Gaza.

   They said Israeli government disinformation only intensified with fake stories like the one about Hamas beheading babies it continued to cast doubt on the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza without providing any proof.