Hamas children's program, Tomorrow's Pioneers
Hamas children's program, Tomorrow's PioneersIsrael news photo: PMW / Al Aqsa (Hamas) TV

Al-Aqsa TV has once again been caught broadcasting television programs in France violating laws against incitement to hatred or violence.

According to French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero, the European Commission issued a warning that Al-Aqsa TV had repeatedly breached Europe's rules on the matter.

The Hamas terrorist-run television channel, which is broadcast via the Paris-based Eutelsat satellite firm is accused of inciting hatred of Jews and Israelis.

Valero told reporters that French authorities were “confident” the government's CSA broadcast authority would act quickly to ensure that the content broadcast via satellites owned by French-based companies, and beamed into the European Union, respected the laws of France and the EU.

In 2008 and 2009, Al-Aqsa TV was broadcast via the Noorsat satellite, a client of Eutelsat. The CSA warned Eutelsat during both years about violations of the law against incitement to hatred – but no changes were made in the content broadcast via its satellites.

“When the CSA informed us of its decisions concerning Al-Aqsa, we immediately contacted our client Noorsat, the operator which handles the broadcasting of the 'Al-Aqsa' channel within its bouquet of programs,” responded Eutelsat in a statement. The firm denied that it ignored the government warnings.

Valero said the station shows programs that “incite hatred or violence for reasons of religion or nationality.”