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Picture courtesy: (Reuters) Israeli officials closed the Al Jazeera news network’s local headquarters on Sunday.
(The Post News)– A few hours after the government decided to utilize new laws to shut down Al Jazeera’s operations in the nation, Israeli officials closed the satellite news network’s local headquarters on Sunday. Critics dubbed the action a “dark day for the media” and expressed further worries about Benjamin Netanyahu’s tough government’s stance on free speech. The move coincides with the ongoing, faltering informal ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
Al Jazeera constituted a threat to national security, according to Israeli officials; hence, the action was warranted. Following the unanimous cabinet vote, Israel’s prime minister declared on social media that “the incitement channel Al Jazeera would be closed in Israel.” According to a government statement, Israel’s minister of communications has approved directives to shut down Al Jazeera’s Israeli offices, seize broadcast equipment, disconnect the channel from cable and satellite providers, and disable its websites right away.
The network, which has been endorsed by Qatar, has reported nonstop from Gaza during the seven-month conflict, and it has been critical of Israel’s military campaign there. The claim that it endangered Israeli security, according to Al Jazeera, was a “dangerous and ridiculous lie,” which put the lives of its journalists in jeopardy. The business released a statement saying, “Al Jazeera Media Network strongly condemns and denounces this criminal act that violates human rights and the basic right to access information”.
Al Jazeera reaffirms its right to serve its international audiences with news and information. Following the imposition of the ban, the network aired a pre-recorded “final report” that detailed the limitations imposed by a correspondent based in Jerusalem. Before this, Al Jazeera had alleged that the Israeli government intentionally targeted a number of its journalists, including Hamza Al-Dahdouh and Samer Abu Daqqa, who were both slain in Gaza during the fighting. Israel denies the accusation and claims that journalists are not its target. The action was also criticized by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ office. On X, it stated, “We regret the cabinet decision to close Al Jazeera in Israel.”
Transparency and accountability can only be guaranteed by a free and independent media. Especially now that there are severe limitations on reporting from Gaza. Expression freedom is a fundamental human right. We want the government to lift the restriction. A bill that permits the temporary shutdown of foreign broadcasters deemed a danger to national security was approved by the Israeli parliament last month. The law permits Netanyahu and his security cabinet to close Al Jazeera’s headquarters in Israel for a maximum of 45 days, with the option to extend this time.
As a result, the closure might last until the end of July or up to substantial military operations in Gaza. Israeli officials have taken issue with Al Jazeera’s Arabic-language program for frequently publishing verbatim video remarks from Hamas and other militant groups in the region, despite the channel also featuring on-the-ground reportage of the war’s victims.
The right-wing coalition government led by Benjamin Netanyahu last year launched a judicial reform drive that sparked strong criticism and charges of dictatorship. Recent Israeli crackdowns on demonstrators opposing the Gaza War have also given rise to fresh worries about freedom of speech. Israel was accused by the Foreign Press Association, an NGO that represents journalists employed by foreign news organizations and covering Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, of becoming a member of a “dubious club of authoritarian governments.” ” The media is having a bad day right now. It released a statement saying, “Today is a dark day for democracy.”
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