Israel says it plans to ban Qatar-backed Al Jazeera
JERUSALEM — Israel said Sunday it plans to ban Qatar’s flagship Al Jazeera network from operating in the country over allegations it incites violence, joining Arab nations that have shut down the broadcaster amid a separate political dispute.
The news organization said it will take legal action.
Communications Minister Ayoob Kara said he plans to revoke the press credentials of Al Jazeera journalists, effectively preventingthemfromworking in Israel.
Accusing the channel of fometing violence, Kara said that “Freedom of expression is not freedom to incite,” according to a ministry statement. “Democracy has limits.”
Kara said he has asked cable and satellite networks to block Al Jazeera transmissions and is seeking legislation to ban them altogether.
The minister, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party, gave no timetable for such measures.
Doha-based Al Jazeera on its English language website condemned the measures as “undemocratic” and said that it will take legal action. It said it will continue operating in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Walid al-Omari, the organization’s Jerusalem bureau chief, said on air that the government had not informed his office of any measures it might take.
Al Jazeera, a pan-Arab satellite network funded by the Qatari government, already had been targeted by Arab nations isolating Qatar as part of a monthslong political dispute over Doha’s politics and alleged support for extremists.
Jordan and Saudi Arabia recently closed Al Jazeera’s local offices, while the channel and its affiliate sites have been blocked in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain.
“Lately, almost all countries in our region determined that Al Jazeera supports terrorism, supports religious radicalization,” Kara said.
Israeli officials have long accused Al Jazeera of bias against the Jewish state. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has likened its coverage to “Nazi Germanypropaganda.
Nitzan Chen, director of the Government Press Office, said press credentials are not issued if security officials deem the cards would be “liable to endanger the security of the state.” He said“Therefore, I have contacted the security echelon and have requested a professional opinion regarding the Al Jazeera network.”
A decision will be made on how to proceed after receiving that opinion, he said.
The Foreign Press Association, which represents journalists covering Israel and the Palestinian territories for international news organizations, said the move “is certainly a cause for concern.” It said it will study the issue and decide howto proceed.