Israel shuttered offices of the Qatar-based Al Jazeera news network Sunday, citing biased reporting that favored Hamas.
“Al Jazeera reporters harmed Israel’s security and incited against soldiers,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement, according to the Associated Press.
“It’s time to remove the Hamas mouthpiece from our country,” he said.
The order, which took the network off of Israel’s main cable TV and satellite TV providers, included confiscation of broadcast equipment.
Hamas is upset at Israel shutting down Al Jazeera, saying it is a violation of freedom of the press.
Let's repeat that: Hamas is pretending to care about press freedom.
— Elder of Ziyon 🇮🇱 (@elderofziyon) May 6, 2024
The network claimed it was the innocent victim of an Israeli effort to muzzle the truth.
“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,” the network said. “Israel’s direct targeting and killing of journalists, arrests, intimidation and threats will not deter Al Jazeera.”
Last month, an Israeli law gave the government the legal footing for its action.
Congratulations to Israel 🇮🇱 Minister of Communication @shlomo_karhi for shutting down Al Jazeera channel in Israel.
Every Western country should shut down this dangerous “news” network that is the mouthpiece of all terrorist organizations.
_ pic.twitter.com/Wpp4eep5ub
— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) May 5, 2024
Al Jazeera will be barred from operation for 45 days, but the action can be renewed.
Hamas criticized the action, as did the Foreign Press Association in Israel, which said the action represented “a dark day for the media.”
Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, however, said it was time to shut down what he called “megaphones for Hamas,” according to the Times of Israel.
“Too much time has passed, and there have been too many unnecessary legal hurdles in order to finally stop the well-oiled incitement machine of Al Jazeera, which harms national security,” he said after signing orders that led to Al Jazeera being banned.
Al Jazeera is banned in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain yet everyone is crying about Israel doing it.
— Mish 🎗️ (@Mish_K_) May 6, 2024
“We will act immediately against those who use freedom of the press to harm Israeli security and IDF troops, and incite to terrorism at a time of war,” he said.
Economy Minister Nir Barkat called the network “the biggest engine of anti-Semitism in the world.”
The BBC noted that Al Jazeera is still accessible to Israelis through Facebook.
