Netanyahu’s cabinet bans Al Jazeera
Israel’s war in Gaza escalates Netanyahu’s war on journalists and free speech after his government unanimously voted to close all Al Jazeera offices in Israel, a conveniently timed move as peace talks commence in Cairo.
Prime Minister Netanyahu announced on X (formerly Twitter) on 5th May that the local offices of the Qatar-owned news broadcaster will close, The Associated Press reported.
It is unknown when the closures will take effect and whether Israel’s decision is temporary or permanent.
Netanyahu’s government claimed that the news outlet’s coverage posed a threat to security. A joint statement from Netanyahu and Israel’s Communications Minister, Shlomo Karhi stated that “There will be no freedom of speech for the Hamas trumpets in Israel.”, AFP reported.
However, Al Jazeera condemned Netanyahu’s remarks, labeling them “a dangerous and ridiculous lie” while speculating that the PM made his remarks to justify “the ongoing assault”.
Walks Omary, Al Jazeera’s bureau chief in Jerusalem highlighted over 50 attacks on the outlets journalists since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, 7th October 2023.
The broadcaster’s Gaza correspondent, Wael Dahdouh suffered the loss of his wife, 15-year-old son Mohammed, and one-year-old grandson Adam in an air raid on 25th October and his 27-year-old son Hamza this January.
Similarly, broadcast engineer, Mohamed Abu al-Qumsan lost 19 family members in Israeli attacks.
Reporters Without Borders reported that 103 Palestinian journalists have been killed due to the Israel Defence Force’s attacks.
Al Jazeera journalists have also been targeted by President Saied’s regime in Tunisia.
In January, Samir Sassi was arrested in his home by “anti-terrorism” personnel who also seized every device in the house, including Sassi’s laptop and various novels he had written and published in Tunisia. After Sassi’s arrest, information of his whereabouts was not openly available to his lawyers.
Under Tunisian law, those arrested on terrorism charges are not allowed access to a lawyer after 48 hours of their detention.
As war wages on in Gaza and the death toll climbs ever higher, Israel and Hamas appear to be making minimal progress on the second day of peace talks that are being held in Cairo.
AP/AFP/Al Jazeera/The Guardian
