GAZA, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Palestinian journalists observed a strike Tuesday to protest the bombing of the offices of an Arab television news channel in Gaza by unknown parties.
The Palestinian press association led a demonstration in front of the Legislative Council and said journalists will boycott covering the national dialogue between rival Fatah and Hamas slated to begin later in the day.
The journalists said the strike and protest were to express solidarity with al-Arabiya's Gaza staff after their office was bombed on Monday night, which caused damage but no one was hurt.
The bombing came after the Dubai-based channel last week complained its Gaza staff had received threats for having quoted Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas as having told his aides that he would not accept conditional funds, even if the money "came from God almighty."
Hamas vehemently denied the report and vowed to file a law suit against the Saudi-owned network.
Fatah's Gaza strongman, Mohammad Dahlan, condemned the attack on al-Arabiya's offices and urged the Hamas-held Interior Ministry to find the attackers "who are trying to impose their immoral logic in dealing with the media."
Other Palestinian officials and civil organizations denounced the attack and called on the media to form a unified plan to protect Palestinian journalists from "criminal acts."
