TRT Balkan receives Palestinian Birth of the State Medal for Palestine news

TRT Balkan, a media outlet that is recognised in the region as the main source of news and stories about the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, received the Palestinian Birth of the State Medal as a sign of appreciation for the contribution of TRT Balkan in reporting on the Israeli war on Gaza and the crimes carried out by Israel in the occupied West Bank.

The Birth of the State Medal was presented to Emre Bastug, the director of TRT Balkan and the representative office of Turkish Radio and Television in Bosnia and Herzegovina, by the ambassador of the State of Palestine to Montenegro, Rabii Alhantouli.

TRT Balkan, a media platform that reports on regional and world events from the perspective of investigative journalism, has been reporting daily on Israeli crimes in various digital formats since October 7, 2023, with packages explaining the current situation and the background of Israel's genocidal war against the Palestinians.

After October 7, TRT Balkan team conducted field visits across several cities in the occupied West Bank, reporting on various aspects of life and the challenges faced by the Palestinians.

At a time when the mainstream and Western media report on the Israeli genocide in accordance with their interests and policies, this medal was awarded to TRT Balkan as a form of recognition for independent, open and truthful media reporting and research on Israeli crimes and for its contribution towards the achievement of the Palestinian goal of independence.

During the conversation with the director of TRT Balkan, the Palestinian ambassador in Montenegro pointed out that the media is a very important factor in discovering and conveying the truth, and that in this sense the role of the media is very important — to educate, enlighten and teach the audience, especially when reporting on the Palestinian issue.

Alhantouli, who comes from Jenin, has served as the Palestinian ambassador to Montenegro since 2016, and this is the first time in his tenure that he has awarded this medal to a media institution or an individual.

The Birth of the State Medal is issued by the President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, on which is written "The road to freedom and independence”.

Inscribed on the back of the medal are the date November 29, 2012 and the sentence "Birth of the State of Palestine in the UN", referring to the date when the UN General Assembly, with an overwhelming majority of 138 votes in favour, recognised Palestine as an observer state which was not a member of the United Nations.