‘Alarming escalation’: Rights groups on Israel’s Al Jazeera ban plan

Israel’s plan to ban Al Jazeera – amid the network’s relentless ground coverage of the country’s military operations in Gaza – has triggered condemnation from rights groups.

In a move seen as targeted towards Al Jazeera, the Israeli parliament earlier approved a law to temporarily ban broadcasts of foreign TV channels on “national security” grounds. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said he would “act immediately” to close the network’s local office.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera said that “Netanyahu could not find any justifications to offer the world for his ongoing attacks on Al Jazeera and press freedom except to present new lies and inflammatory slanders against the network and the rights of its employees. Al Jazeera holds the Israeli Prime Minister responsible for the safety of its staff and network premises around the world, following his incitement and this false accusation in a disgraceful manner."

The Committee to Protect Journalists said it was “deeply concerned”. “The law grants the government the power to close any foreign media outlets operating in Israel, posing a significant threat to international media within the country,” program director Carlos Martínez de la Serna said, adding it would “contribute to a climate of self-censorship and hostility toward the press.”

Human Rights Watch’s Israel and Palestine Director Omar Shakir told CNN that blocking Al Jazeera “marks an alarming escalation, and Israeli efforts restrict the freedom of the press and further limit the access that citizens of the world have to the daily realities in Israel and Palestine”. 

While the Joe Biden administration in the US has come under criticism for its consistent military and diplomatic support for Israel’s military actions, the White House called reports of the move to shut Al Jazeera “concerning”. “The United States supports the critically important work journalists around the world do. And that includes those who are reporting in the conflict in Gaza,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday during a press briefing.

There had been signs that Israel would take such a step against Al Jazeera. 

Last year, the Committee to Protect Journalists had urged Israeli authorities not to close the local bureau of Al Jazeera. The International Federation of Journalists also appealed to the government to review any such decision in the interest of the right to information and media pluralism.

Reuters had reported that Israel’s communications minister had said that he was seeking a possible closure of Al Jazeera’s local bureau while accusing it of pro-Hamas incitement and exposing Israeli soldiers to potential attacks. Karhi had reportedly said that the proposal was being vetted by legal experts.

“This is a station that incites, this is a station that films troops in assembly areas... that incites against the citizens of Israel – a propaganda mouthpiece,” Karhi told Israel’s Army Radio. “It is unconscionable that Hamas spokespeople’s message goes through this station.”

Israel’s attorney general Gali Baharav-Miara and communications minister Shlomo Karhi had reportedly reached an agreement subsequently on the use of emergency regulations. “Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi has led the charge to pass these regulations in order to shut down the Al Jazeera news channel, which he claims has damaged national security,” reported Times of Israel.

IFJ general secretary Anthony Bellanger said, “We are deeply concerned at Israel's attempt to  censor media coverage of the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict using national security as an excuse to restrict critical media that do not confirm its narrative of the ongoing war. This is a clear attack on media pluralism and the public's right to know. The whole world must be allowed to see what is happening in the ongoing conflict and we urge Israel to review its decision.”

Al Jazeera has been repeatedly criticised by Israel over its coverage. In 2017 as well, the Netanyahu government had threatened to shut Al-Jazeera’s Jerusalem offices, accusing it of inciting violence. 

The ultimatum then had come amid intensified protests near the Temple Mount-Noble Sanctuary, one of the holy sites in the city. The protests, and subsequent clashes between the Israeli forces and protestors had led to the death of three Israelis and four Palestinians. 

Netanyahu had then posted on Facebook that he had spoken to law-enforcement authorities several times, “demanding to close al-Jazeera’s offices in Jerusalem”. “If this does not happen because of legal interpretation, I will work to enact the required legislation to expel al-Jazeera from Israel.”