According to an Israeli official, the Israeli authorities have raided a Jerusalem hotel room being used by Al Jazeera as its office for the time being, after the government decided to close down the Qatari-owned TV station’s operations in the country on Sunday.
Video making rounds online revealed plainclothes officers destroying camera equipment in a hotel room, which the Al Jazeera source had claimed was in East Jerusalem.
Recall that Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet had shut down the network for as long as the war in Gaza persisted, saying that it jeopardised national security.
A government statement had revealed that Israel’s communications minister had signed orders to “act immediately”, but a one lawmaker had said that Al Jazeera could still try to block it in court.
The measure, according to the statement, includes shutting down Al Jazeera’s offices in Israel, commandeering broadcast equipment, cutting off the channel from cable and satellite companies and banning its websites. The statement did not however, mention Al Jazeera’s Gaza operations.
What They’re Saying:
Al Jazeera has said that the move was a “criminal action” and that the allegation that the network threatened Israeli security was a “dangerous and ridiculous lie” that put its journalists at risk.
The news network had also announced that it reserved the right to “pursue every legal step”.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu had posted on social media after a cabinet vote saying, “The incitement channel Al Jazeera will be closed in Israel.”
The vote had been unanimous.
The UN Human Rights Office also criticised the closure of Al Jazeera with a statement on X saying,
“We regret cabinet decision to close Al Jazeera in Israel. A free & independent media is essential to ensuring transparency & accountability. Now, even more so given tight restrictions on reporting from Gaza. Freedom of expression is a key human right. We urge government to overturn ban.”
Why It Matters
Qatar launched Al Jazeera in 1996 as a way to boost its global profile but now that the news network was shut down most likely because of its criticism of Israel’s military operation operation in Gaza.
But why did the Israeli authorities raid Al Jazeera’s hotel office following the shutdown directive:
- To Suppress the Press: The raid on Al Jazeera’s office shows a flagrant attack on freedom of the press. A move by the Israeli government to silence dissenting voices and control media narratives during its conflict with Gaza.
- To Censor the Media: By storming Al Jazeera’s office and destroying camera equipment, Israeli authorities are using a ‘show-of-force’ tactic to suppress and censor coverage of the conflict and limit what the general public gets to see, which may be information that may contradict official narratives.
Bottom Line
The shutdown order and raid on Al Jazeera violate international standards of press freedom and human rights, as acknowledged by the United Nations (UN) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
In conclusion, this incident serves as an evident reminder of the challenges journalists and media organizations face in covering conflicts and holding governments accountable for their actions.
