Ramallah: A Palestinian nation-wide campaign to block porn websites has been launched in the city of Nablus following studies highlighting those sites’ dramatic effects on the stability of families.
The campaign was launched in Al Najah National University with demands to block porn sites as those websites violate customs and traditions.

Nader Abu Farhah, one of the campaign’s organisers, said during the launch that the Palestinian territories come sixth worldwide in relation to browsing porn sites, which is an alarm to the Palestinian government and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).

“The campaign is based on serious and unstoppable attempts to convince the Palestinian Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology to block porn websites in Palestine,” he said. “The campaign also aims at raising public awareness about the fatal psychological and mental dangers of such sites.”

“Despite those negative consequences, huge numbers of Palestinians browse such sites with no control at all,” he told Gulf News.

Sources at the Palestinian Higher Sharia Judicial Council have said that tens of Palestinian couples have divorced because one partner browses such websites and becomes an addict. “Browsing porn websites has been a key reason for divorce among Palestinian couples who are not aware of the negative consequences on their domestic lives,” the sources told Gulf News.

Organisers of the campaign, who are mainly university students, urged the PNA and the Ministry of Telecommunications and Technology to block those sites with immediate effect. They warned that they would intensify their campaign by taking to streets in the event the authorities do not listen to their demand, stressing that Sources at the ministry said that the PNA unilaterally and without consultation with Israel can block porn sites in Palestine. “This needs a ministerial decision only and then it will be implemented instantly,” said the sources, who refused to be named as they are not allowed to speak to the press.

“Even companies which provide the internet in Palestine can block the porn sites without referring to the ministry,” said the sources, adding that the only hindrance is that companies which block the porn sties lose market share.