Israel ordered this Sunday (5) the closure of the offices and the confiscation of the equipment of the Arab broadcaster Al Jazeera, a long-time target of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which accuses the channel of links to the fundamentalist group Hamas.
“The government led by me has unanimously decided that the incitement channel Al Jazeera will be closed in Israel,” the prime minister wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said that “there will be no freedom of expression for Hamas spokespeople” and also ordered the blocking of the Arab broadcaster’s websites in the country. However, according to him, the restriction will not apply to the occupied West Bank or the Gaza Strip, the scene of a war since October 7, 2023.
The decision follows the approval by the Israeli Parliament of a new law that empowers the government to ban foreign TV stations classified as “threats” to national security.
In a statement, Al Jazeera, which is based in Qatar, defined the measure as “criminal” and stated that Israel’s stance “threatens to increase tensions” with Doha, which “plays a crucial role in mediation efforts to stop the war in Gaza”.
In turn, Hamas accused the Netanyahu government of wanting to “hide the truth” about the conflict. .
