Aidan White
The Executive Committee of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) meeting in London at the weekend ( Nov 14/15 2009) voted to rescind the expulsion of the National Federation of Israel Journalists (NFIJ), ending a six-month dispute over payment of membership fees.
The Executive Committee adopted in full an agreement hammered out in Tel Aviv earlier this month between the IFJ and the Israeli union with the participation of IFJ unions in Germany and Italy who called for mediation in the dispute.
“Some people have tried to place this problem in a wider political context,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary, “but the IFJ leadership has maintained its position that the argument was purely and simply over money due.
” That problem has been solved, now we can get back to building good relations between Israeli journalists and their colleagues around the world.”
The IFJ Executive Committee also endorsed a programme of co-operation with the NFIJ which will hopefully strengthen its links with the IFJ membership in Europe. A proposal for formal links with the European Federation of Journalists was also supported.
“IFJ leaders also paid tribute to the co-operation of our unions the German Federation of Journalists and the National Federation of the Press in Italy whose help and support in patching up this quarrel was invaluable,” said White.
Read some earlier reports on this issue