The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has voted unanimously to shut down Qatar-owned Al Jazeera offices in Israel.
The announcement was made by Netanyahu on Sunday, May 5 on X.
“The government headed by me unanimously decided: the incitement channel Al Jazeera will be closed in Israel. Thanks to Minister @shlomo_karhi,” Netanyahu wrote in a post.
Taking to X, Minister of Communications, Shlomo Karhi said that after the Cabinet’s approval, he had immediately signed the orders against Al Jazeera.
“Our orders will go into effect immediately. Too much time has passed and too many unnecessary legal hurdles for us to finally be able to stop Al Jazeera’s oiled incitement machine that harms the security of the country.”
“For months I have done everything so that they will not be able to work from Israel any more.”
The vote came after the Israeli Knesset (parliament) approved a draft law allowing the temporary closure in Israel of foreign broadcast stations considered a threat to national security during the war on Hamas in Gaza.
In this regard, Netanyahu had pledged to take immediate action to halt Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel.
“Al Jazeera harmed Israel’s security, actively participated in the October 7 massacre, and incited against IDF soldiers,” Netanyahu wrote on X on April 1.
Al Jazeera condemns condemns Israeli decision to close its offices
Al Jazeera Media Network has strongly condemned Israeli government’s closure of its offices in Israel as a criminal act, citing violation of international and humanitarian law.
In a statement on Sunday, May 5, the network said, “Al Jazeera Media Network strongly condemns and denounces this criminal act that violates human rights and the basic right to access of information. Al Jazeera affirms its right to continue to provide news and information to its global audiences.”
“Israel’s ongoing suppression of the free press, seen as an effort to conceal its actions in the Gaza Strip, stands in contravention of international and humanitarian law. Israel’s direct targeting and killing of journalists, arrests, intimidation and threats will not deter Al Jazeera from its commitment to cover, whilst more than 140 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the beginning of the war on Gaza.
“The Network vehemently rejects the allegations presented by Israeli authorities suggesting professional media standards have been violated. It reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the values embodied by its Code of Ethics,” it said.
Al Jazeera urges media freedom, human rights, and organizations to condemn Israel’s attacks on journalists and press, pursuing legal channels to protect their rights and the public’s information.
