Israeli cabinet has unanimously voted to ban Al Jazeera’s operations in the country, deeming it to be a threat to Israel’s “national security”
Few hours after Israel’s cabinet voted to slap an outright ban on Al Jazeera’s operations in the country on Sunday, Israeli authorities acted immediately – raiding the satellite network’s office to force its complete shut down, confiscate broadcast equipment, cut the channel off from cable and block its website. Highly-influential Qatari-based network, Al Jazeera has been facing Netanyahu’s wrath after it broadcasted civilian suffering in Gaza.
A major source of news in the Arab world, Al Jazeera journalists have fought a hard-war to keep information flowing from war drenched areas to rest of the world. Media supporters and critics have all denounced Israeli decision anti-democratic, fearing it would accomplish Netanyahu’s agenda for a complete crackdown on dissent over Israel’s war against Gaza.
The shutdown order is initially for first 45-days, with an option of extension to another 45 days, said the Ministry of Communications. The ban comes ahead of the accusations which Netanyahu has carried on the media house throughout the seven months of the war, deeming it to be a threat on Israel’s national security and posing a serious threat against its soldiers. This decision has reverberated a chilling effect on other news outlets in Israel, “Today it is Al Jazeera, tomorrow it’ll be who knows who.”
Israel ban on Al Jazeera, what triggered it?
The broadcaster has been under pile of criticism from the Israeli government since 7 October when Hamas, a Palestinian militant group launched coordinated armed incursions from the Gaza Strip into the Gaza envelope of southern Israel. The launch killed some 1,200 people and more than 250 people were taken hostage into Gaza.
Last month, Israeli government passed a law in the parliament which would invest power in the government to temporarily close foreign media outlets who are considered a threat to national security during its war against Hamas. Al Jazeera, which has denied generosity to Netanyahu’s offenses in Gaza, had televised enormous “truth-bombs” headlining mass atrocities which has killed at least 34,683 Palestinians and injured 78,018 in Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza, according to Hamas-run health ministry.
Israel has criticized Al Jazeera’s Arabic language coverage, accusing it of weighing heavy on Hamas’ standpoint and reporting uncritically on the militant’s call for violence. Al Jazeera and Israel has shared a tense relationship in the past when one of its correspondents, veteran Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed in the occupied West Bank two years ago. The investigation later unearthed the bullet that killed her was fired from an Israeli military convoy.
Critics question Israel’s “timing” of a ban on Al Jazeera
The timing of Israel’s vote to shutdown Al Jazeera operation raised questions with critics contending that Mr. Netanyahu has deliberately sought to pass this legislation as Qatar fastens his pace to mediate ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas. Qatar, which helps fund the network, has been helping to mediate ceasefire negotiations which include the release of hostages held captive in Gaza.
The negotiation which has not passed the green light, is still under discussion. Hamas leader has flew to Cairo to deliberate on ceasefire agreement proposed by Israel, which if passed, will immediately withdraw Israel’s military operation from Gaza in exchange of Hamas freeing 33 hostages. Previous negotiations mediated by Qatar led to a temporary ceasefire and the release of 105 Israeli hostages in November.
On Sunday, Benny Gantz, leader of Israel’s National Unity Party, denounced the timing of the ban which could “sabotage” the negotiations and leave millions of hopeful, desperate for revival and peace in Gaza as well as families of hostages in Israel heartbroken. The Qatari government has not disclosed their sentiments on Israel’s ban on Al Jazeera, yet. “A free and independent media is essential to ensuring transparency and accountability” posted UN Human Rights on X.
