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Showing Original Post only (View all)Netanyahu revives moves to shut Qatar's Al Jazeera TV in Israel [View all]
Last edited Mon Apr 1, 2024, 02:55 PM - Edit history (2)
Source: Reuters
April 1, 2024 2:18 PM EDT Updated 33 min ago
JERUSALEM, April 1 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revived moves on Monday to shutter Qatari satellite television station Al Jazeera in Israel, pledging to take "immediate action" to close the station's local office while the war in Gaza continues. Hours after his party spokesperson said parliament would be convened to ratify the necessary law, the Knesset approved the bill allowing the temporary closure in Israel of foreign broadcasters considered to be a threat to national security.
The law approved on Monday would allow Netanyahu and the security cabinet to shut the station for a period of 45 days, which would be renewable, and would stay in force until the end of July or until the end of major military operations in Gaza.
Neither the station's main office in Israel nor the Qatari government in Doha immediately responded to a request for comment. Al Jazeera, which has been fiercely critical of Israel's military operation in Gaza, from where it has reported around the clock, has previously accused Israel of systematically targeting its offices and personnel.
Communications Minister Shlomo Karai accused Al Jazeera of encouraging hostilities against Israel. "It is impossible to tolerate a media outlet, with press credentials from the government press office and with offices in Israel, acting from within against us, certainly in wartime," he said. Israeli officials have long complained about Al Jazeera's coverage, but stopped short of taking action, mindful of Qatar's bankrolling of Palestinian construction projects in the Gaza Strip - seen by all sides as a means of staving off conflict.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/netanyahu-revives-moves-shut-qatars-al-jazeera-tv-israel-2024-04-01/
Article updated.
Original article -
JERUSALEM, April 1 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revived moves on Monday to shut down Qatari satellite television station Al Jazeera in Israel, saying through his party spokesperson that parliament would be convened in the evening to ratify the necessary law.
Thereafter, Netanyahu "will take immediate action to shut down Al Jazeera in accordance with procedure set out in the law", the Likud party statement said. Israel has previously accused the station of agitating against it among Arab viewers.
Neither the station's main office in Israel nor the Qatari government in Doha immediately responded to a request for comment. Al Jazeera has previously accused Israel of systematically targeting its offices and personnel.
Israeli officials have long complained about Al Jazeera's coverage but stopped short of taking action, mindful of Qatar's bankrolling of Palestinian construction projects in the Gaza Strip - seen by all sides as a means of staving off conflict.