Wafa

Wafa, also known in English as the Palestine News Agency or the Palestinian News & Info Agency, is the official state-run news agency of the Palestinian National Authority. Its name is derived from the Arabic word for trust and from an acronym for the Palestinian News Agency. The organization was established by the Palestine Liberation Organization in Beirut on June 5, 1972, following a decision of the Palestinian National Council in Cairo. Before the creation of the Palestinian Authority, it served as the PLO’s official news agency. Wafa initially concentrated on distributing the Palestinian leadership’s official account of political, military, and national affairs. Its early output included official statements and material associated with the Palestinian revolutionary movement. Its role expanded over time to include broader daily reporting, and it also published the weekly magazine Felasteen el-Thawra under the editorship of Ahmed Abdel-Rahman. During the PLO’s period in Lebanon, Wafa became a frequently cited source for foreign correspondents and international news organizations, particularly because independent reporting channels in conflict zones were often limited. The agency’s operational history has closely followed the political history of the Palestinian national movement. After the PLO was forced to leave Lebanon during the 1982 Lebanon War, Wafa continued its work from Cyprus and Tunis. Following the Oslo Accords and the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1994, the PLO’s media institutions were transferred to the authority of the new Palestinian governing structure. Wafa subsequently opened offices in Gaza City and Ramallah and became part of the Palestinian Authority’s official media system. In April 2005, President Mahmoud Abbas transferred the Palestinian Authority’s media assets, including Wafa, to the Ministry of Information under Nabil Shaath. The General Information Commission was merged into Wafa at the same time. This restructuring was presented as a possible way to improve the independence of official media, although Palestinian journalists and outside observers have continued to describe Wafa as closely aligned with the Palestinian government and the Fatah-led political establishment. After Hamas won the 2006 Palestinian legislative election, Abbas moved the media assets back under the presidential office, reflecting the political importance attached to control of official communications. Wafa distributes daily coverage from Palestine, Israel, and the wider Middle East. Its services have operated in Arabic, English, French, and Hebrew, although the Hebrew service has changed over time. The French service was relaunched in 2005 after previously operating from Tunisia. A Hebrew website service began in 2009 and was aimed in part at Arab citizens of Israel, Israeli lawmakers, and Hebrew-language media; it was discontinued in 2016 and relaunched in 2022 to present Palestinian perspectives to Israeli society. The organization’s public role combines news distribution, official communication, and international representation of Palestinian positions. This makes Wafa an important reference point for Palestinian government statements and a channel through which the Palestinian leadership communicates with domestic and foreign audiences. At the same time, its institutional relationship with the Palestinian presidency and its perceived alignment with Fatah distinguish it from independent commercial news agencies. Wafa remains active as a multilingual Palestinian state media organization, although detailed information about its corporate structure, finances, staffing, and current leadership is limited in the supplied reference material.

Wafa was created in Beirut in 1972 by the Palestine Liberation Organization after the Palestinian National Council approved the establishment of an official Palestinian news agency at a special session in Cairo. Its original function was to distribute the official Palestinian account of political and military developments, including statements from the movement’s revolutionary leadership. As its operations matured, Wafa broadened its coverage and became an important conduit between Palestinian institutions and international journalists. It also issued the weekly publication Felasteen el-Thawra, which was headed by Ahmed Abdel-Rahman. Wafa’s importance increased during the PLO’s presence in Lebanon. Foreign correspondents and news organizations regularly relied on its material, particularly during periods in which access to conflict areas and alternative local sources was severely restricted. Its reporting role was therefore not limited to routine news distribution: it also functioned as a mechanism for presenting Palestinian positions during regional conflict and diplomatic crises. The PLO’s expulsion from Lebanon during the 1982 Lebanon War forced Wafa to relocate its activities. From November 1982, it operated from Cyprus and Tunis. This period preserved the agency’s role as an external communications institution for the Palestinian national movement while its political leadership was dispersed outside the Palestinian territories. The Oslo process and the creation of the Palestinian Authority in 1994 brought a major institutional transition. PLO media organizations were transferred to the Palestinian Authority, and Wafa established offices in Gaza City and Ramallah. It thereby moved from being principally an external PLO communications outlet toward becoming an official media institution associated with the Palestinian governing authority. A further restructuring occurred in April 2005, when Mahmoud Abbas transferred the Palestinian Authority’s media assets to the Ministry of Information, then led by Nabil Shaath. The General Information Commission was merged into Wafa. The change was viewed by some Palestinian journalists as a potential effort to create greater independence for the official media, although the agency continued to be regarded as closely connected to the Palestinian government. Following Hamas’s victory in the 2006 legislative election, Abbas returned the media assets to the presidential office, emphasizing the political sensitivity of state communications. Wafa has developed a multilingual publishing operation. Its French service was relaunched in 2005, its Hebrew web service began in 2009 and ended in 2016, and the Hebrew service returned in 2022. Its output is primarily available in Arabic, English, French, and Hebrew, with coverage focused on Palestine, Israel, the Middle East, and Palestinian official positions. The agency has also remained exposed to the political and security pressures surrounding its work. Its Khan Younis office was attacked by gunmen in 2006, and Israeli forces raided its Ramallah headquarters in 2018 during a manhunt. In 2019, it received a Federation of Arab News Agencies award for best report. Today, Wafa remains the Palestinian National Authority’s principal official news agency. It combines news reporting with institutional communication and international outreach. Its close relationship with the Palestinian presidency and its perceived alignment with Fatah are central to understanding its positioning, while its multilingual services give it a role in communicating Palestinian narratives to domestic, regional, and international audiences.

1. 2022Hebrew service is relaunched

   Wafa restored its Hebrew service to communicate Palestinian viewpoints to Israeli society.

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2. 2019Regional news-agency award

   Wafa received the Federation of Arab News Agencies award for best report.

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3. 2016Hebrew service is discontinued

   Wafa ended its Hebrew-language service after several years of operation.

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4. 2015Khoulud Asaf becomes head of Wafa

   Khoulud Asaf was appointed the organization’s head, becoming its first female leader.

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5. 2009Hebrew service begins

   Wafa launched a Hebrew website service and began distributing a daily newsletter to Israeli political and media audiences.

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6. 2005Media assets are transferred to the Ministry of Information

   Mahmoud Abbas transferred the Palestinian Authority’s media assets to the Ministry of Information and merged the General Information Commission into Wafa.

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7. 2005French service is relaunched

   Wafa restarted its French-language service after its earlier Tunisia-based operation had ended in 1994.

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8. 1994Wafa comes under the Palestinian Authority

   Following the Oslo Accords, Wafa and other PLO media institutions were transferred to the Palestinian Authority and offices opened in Gaza City and Ramallah.

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9. 1982Operations move after the Lebanon War

   After the PLO’s departure from Lebanon, Wafa resumed operations from Cyprus and Tunis beginning in November.

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10. 1972Wafa is established in Beirut

    The PLO Executive Committee established Wafa in Beirut on June 5 after a Palestinian National Council decision to create an official Palestinian news agency.

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Official Palestinian news agency and government-aligned multilingual information service, positioned as a source for Palestinian domestic, political, diplomatic, and regional news.

• Arabic news serviceNews agency service1972

  Wafa’s principal language service provides daily reporting on Palestinian political affairs, government activity, security developments, Israel, and regional Middle Eastern events. It also carries official statements and institutional communications from Palestinian authorities.

• English news serviceInternational news service

  The English service extends Wafa’s reporting to international journalists, institutions, and readers. It presents Palestinian news and official positions in a format intended for global media and diplomatic audiences.

• French news serviceInternational news service2005

  Wafa’s French-language operation serves Francophone readers and media organizations. The service was relaunched in 2005 after an earlier version had operated from Tunisia before 1994.

• Hebrew news serviceAudience-specific news service2009

  Wafa’s Hebrew service has been used to communicate Palestinian news and viewpoints to Hebrew-speaking audiences, including Israeli media and political figures. It launched in 2009, ceased in 2016, and was relaunched in 2022.

• Felasteen el-ThawraWeekly magazine

  Felasteen el-Thawra was a weekly publication associated with Wafa during its early period. It complemented the agency’s news dispatches and provided a broader platform for Palestinian revolutionary and political content.

• 2022Relaunch of the Hebrew serviceProduct launch

  Wafa had discontinued its earlier Hebrew service in 2016 and sought to communicate Palestinian perspectives to Hebrew-speaking audiences.

  What changed. The agency relaunched its Hebrew-language service.

  Aftermath. The service restored Wafa’s direct multilingual outreach to Israeli society and Hebrew-language media audiences.

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• 2006Return of media assets to the presidential officeStrategy

  Hamas won the 2006 Palestinian legislative election, creating a dispute over control of Palestinian Authority media institutions.

  What changed. Mahmoud Abbas transferred the media assets back to the presidential office to prevent Hamas from taking control of them.

  Aftermath. Wafa remained closely associated with the Palestinian presidency and the Fatah-led political establishment.

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• 2005Transfer of Wafa to the Ministry of InformationStrategy

  The Palestinian Authority reorganized its media institutions amid criticism that official outlets were subject to tight political control.

  What changed. Mahmoud Abbas transferred the media assets, including Wafa, to the Ministry of Information under Nabil Shaath and merged the General Information Commission into the agency.

  Aftermath. The move was viewed as a possible attempt to improve the independence of official media, but Wafa continued to be regarded as an institution aligned with the Palestinian government.

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• 2022Wafa relaunches its Hebrew service

  Wafa restored its Hebrew-language service with the stated purpose of communicating Palestinian perspectives to Israeli society.

  Product launch
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• 2019Wafa receives a Federation of Arab News Agencies award

  Wafa won the Federation of Arab News Agencies award for best report.

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• 2018Israeli forces raid Wafa’s Ramallah offices

  Israeli soldiers entered Wafa’s Ramallah headquarters and fired tear gas during a manhunt connected with a shooting attack that had wounded Israeli civilians. Palestinian and international journalist organizations condemned the action.

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• 2009Wafa launches a Hebrew-language website service

  Wafa began a Hebrew version of its website and distributed a daily newsletter to Israeli lawmakers and Hebrew-language media outlets.

  Product launch
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• 2006Gunmen attack Wafa’s Khan Younis office

  Armed men entered Wafa’s Khan Younis offices, damaged equipment, and assaulted a reporter.

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1. Wafa