NEW DELHI: Israel‘s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday mentioned that in a unanimous resolution, his authorities has resolved to shut down the workplaces of Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based information broadcaster in Israel.
The announcement was made by Netanyahu on the social media platform X, nevertheless the main points concerning the implementation timeline and the length of the closure, whether or not it was everlasting or non permanent weren’t clear.
“My authorities determined unanimously: the incitement channel Al Jazeera will shut in Israel,” Netanyahu wrote in a put up on X, whereas, Al Jazeera has strongly refuted allegations of inciting towards Israel.
Choice to close Al Jazeera
The choice to close down Al Jazeera’s workplaces comes amidst the escalating tensions between Israel and the information channel, which have additional worsened through the ongoing battle towards Hamas.
It additionally coincides with Qatar’s efforts to facilitate a cease-fire settlement between Israel and Hamas, geared toward bringing an finish to the battle in Gaza.
Response from Al Jazeera
No fast response was supplied from the channel headquarters in Doha, Qatar. A correspondent from Al Jazeera’s Arabic service mentioned that the directive would affect the broadcaster’s actions in Israel and East Jerusalem, the place that they had been conducting dwell broadcasts in these areas because the outbreak of battle following the October 7 assault in Gaza.
In accordance with Israeli media stories, the vote grants Israel the authority to stop the channel from broadcasting within the nation for a interval of 45 days. Israel’s Communications Minister, Shlomo Karhi introduced in a video posted on X that the channel’s “tools can be confiscated.”
Qatar, Netanyahu’s relationship
This resolution has the potential to escalate tensions with Qatar at a essential juncture when the Doha authorities is enjoying a pivotal position in mediation efforts to finish the battle in Gaza, alongside Egypt and the USA.
Qatar’s relationship with Netanyahu has been strained, significantly following his remarks suggesting that Qatar is just not making use of ample stress on Hamas to compel it to compromise on its phrases for a truce settlement. Qatar gives a protected haven for Hamas leaders in exile.
The events appear to be on the verge of reaching an settlement, however a number of earlier rounds of negotiations have concluded with no decision. Israel has lengthy had a contentious relationship with Al Jazeera, accusing it of bias. The state of affairs took a big flip for the more serious almost two years in the past when Shireen Abu Akleh, an Al Jazeera correspondent, was killed throughout an Israeli navy operation within the occupied West Financial institution.
Assault and accusations on Al Jazeera
In December, an Israeli strike claimed the lifetime of an Al Jazeera cameraman as he was masking the battle in southern Gaza. The channel’s bureau chief in Gaza, Wael Dahdouh, sustained accidents in the identical assault.
Al Jazeera is among the many few worldwide media shops which have remained in Gaza all through the battle, broadcasting graphic scenes of airstrikes and overcrowded hospitals whereas accusing Israel of committing massacres.
Israel, in flip, accuses Al Jazeera of collaborating with Hamas.
Al Jazeera has confronted closure or censorship by different governments within the Center East. These embrace Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain throughout a years-long boycott of Doha by these nations amidst a chronic political dispute that was resolved in 2021.
(With inputs from businesses)
The announcement was made by Netanyahu on the social media platform X, nevertheless the main points concerning the implementation timeline and the length of the closure, whether or not it was everlasting or non permanent weren’t clear.
“My authorities determined unanimously: the incitement channel Al Jazeera will shut in Israel,” Netanyahu wrote in a put up on X, whereas, Al Jazeera has strongly refuted allegations of inciting towards Israel.
Choice to close Al Jazeera
The choice to close down Al Jazeera’s workplaces comes amidst the escalating tensions between Israel and the information channel, which have additional worsened through the ongoing battle towards Hamas.
It additionally coincides with Qatar’s efforts to facilitate a cease-fire settlement between Israel and Hamas, geared toward bringing an finish to the battle in Gaza.
Response from Al Jazeera
No fast response was supplied from the channel headquarters in Doha, Qatar. A correspondent from Al Jazeera’s Arabic service mentioned that the directive would affect the broadcaster’s actions in Israel and East Jerusalem, the place that they had been conducting dwell broadcasts in these areas because the outbreak of battle following the October 7 assault in Gaza.
In accordance with Israeli media stories, the vote grants Israel the authority to stop the channel from broadcasting within the nation for a interval of 45 days. Israel’s Communications Minister, Shlomo Karhi introduced in a video posted on X that the channel’s “tools can be confiscated.”
Qatar, Netanyahu’s relationship
This resolution has the potential to escalate tensions with Qatar at a essential juncture when the Doha authorities is enjoying a pivotal position in mediation efforts to finish the battle in Gaza, alongside Egypt and the USA.
Qatar’s relationship with Netanyahu has been strained, significantly following his remarks suggesting that Qatar is just not making use of ample stress on Hamas to compel it to compromise on its phrases for a truce settlement. Qatar gives a protected haven for Hamas leaders in exile.
The events appear to be on the verge of reaching an settlement, however a number of earlier rounds of negotiations have concluded with no decision. Israel has lengthy had a contentious relationship with Al Jazeera, accusing it of bias. The state of affairs took a big flip for the more serious almost two years in the past when Shireen Abu Akleh, an Al Jazeera correspondent, was killed throughout an Israeli navy operation within the occupied West Financial institution.
Assault and accusations on Al Jazeera
In December, an Israeli strike claimed the lifetime of an Al Jazeera cameraman as he was masking the battle in southern Gaza. The channel’s bureau chief in Gaza, Wael Dahdouh, sustained accidents in the identical assault.
Al Jazeera is among the many few worldwide media shops which have remained in Gaza all through the battle, broadcasting graphic scenes of airstrikes and overcrowded hospitals whereas accusing Israel of committing massacres.
Israel, in flip, accuses Al Jazeera of collaborating with Hamas.
Al Jazeera has confronted closure or censorship by different governments within the Center East. These embrace Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain throughout a years-long boycott of Doha by these nations amidst a chronic political dispute that was resolved in 2021.
(With inputs from businesses)
