Hizbullah TV rejects German ban as unjust
Al-Manar Director says 'Zionist lobbies' behind German ban on Hizbullah TV station
The director of Hizbullah's satellite TV station says a German ban on the network violates international laws protecting media freedom.
Al-Manar TV Director Abdullah Kassir asserts the German government acted on a request from what he called "Zionist lobbies" in Europe in deciding to ban broadcasts of the Arabic language network.
The station says it violated no laws and vowed the ban would not stop it from doing its job.
Germany's Interior Ministry banned Heizbullah's television station Friday on grounds that it violates the country's constitution. The al-Manar ban prevents German satellite television companies from offering the channel.
The ministry says Al-Manar television programming was forbidden under Article 9 of Germany's constitution, which says that organizations cannot operate with the purpose of violating "international understanding." A ministry spokesman did not offer further details.
Al-Manar is staunchly anti-Israel and frequently broadcasts footage of Hizbullah fighters.
