Falana made the call at the weekend in his remarks as Guest Speaker at the 2023 West Africa Media Excellence Conference Awards (WAMECA) in Accra.
He noted that while Israelis are entitled to defend themselves against terrorist attacks, collective punishment being meted out to all Palestinians, including women and children getting killed, is not acceptable.
He said: “Punishment is a crime under the Geneva convention. What is currently going on there is collective punishment which is tantamount to a crime against humanity. Let the Israeli government know that the world is against unprovoked attacks on the innocent people of Palestine.
“Many Palestinians are opposed to the antics and practice of Hamas. So, they can’t punish them for the violence unleashed on Israel by Hamas. I am pleading with journalists to rise from here tonight to join the human rights community, demanding for a ceasefire, immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Let Israel pursue Hamas; go and look for Hamas, but please spare innocent people, unarmed people in Palestine.”
The ongoing war, Falana said, has made a mockery of humanity globally.
He said: “We watch from the television how children are being killed, hospitals being attacked. Let the government of Israel know that while we oppose terrorism on the part of Hamas, we are equally opposed to the onslaught on Palestinians.
This came as a journalist at HumAngle Nigeria, Muhammed Akinyemi, emerged the best West African journalist of the year at the event.
Akinyemi was one of 17 journalists earlier shortlisted for the regional awards.
The previous 2022 edition of WAMECA was won by Tessy Igomu, head of investigations at Punch Newspapers in Nigeria.
Organisers of the awards, Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), said 855 entries were received from journalists in 15 West African countries for the latest 2023 edition.
