Abbas orders end to 'incitement'

Israel has destroyed Palestinian radio offices amid accusations of 'incitement'

Interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has told government run television and radio stations to stop broadcasting 'inflammatory' material inciting hatred against Israel.

Mr Abbas has asked the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation to review programmes before they are aired.

The order meets a key demand by Israel before peace talks are resumed.

Israel PM Ariel Sharon recently called for an end to "constant poisonous incitement" in the Palestinian media.

Radwan Abu Ayyash, head of the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation, said that Mr Abbas has asked them to "ensure that programmes do not include material that might be interpreted as incitement."

"In fact we do not incite," said Mr Ayyash, "We report what Israel commits against the Palestinian people."

Israel has long complained that the Palestinian media incites hatred by broadcasting religious sermons praising the killing of Jews and glorifies attacks by militant groups, describing them as "martyrs".

The changes may be largely symbolic, as most Palestinians prefer to watch pan-Arabic satellite channels.