The Israeli cabinet voted unanimously on Sunday to shut down Al Jazeera, and Israeli police raided the Qatari media outlet’s office following the decision.
The broad order shuts down Al Jazeera broadcasts, allows the confiscation of its equipment, and blocks the outlet’s website. Israeli police confiscated cameras and other equipment from a hotel room that Al Jazeera has been using as an office.
In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Al Jazeera a “Hamas mouthpiece” and claimed the outlet’s coverage had put Israeli troops in danger. “Al Jazeera reporters harmed Israel’s security and incited against soldiers,” he said.
The US has also criticized Al Jazeera’s coverage of the Israeli slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza. Back in October, Axios reported that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had asked the Qataris to “turn down the volume on Al Jazeera’s coverage because it is full of anti-Israel incitement.”
Al Jazeera slammed the Israeli move and said it would “pursue all available legal channels through international legal institutions” to fight the ban.
“Israel’s ongoing suppression of the free press, seen as an effort to conceal its actions in the Gaza Strip, stands in contravention of international and humanitarian law,” the outlet said in a statement.
Al Jazeera also mentioned Israel’s targeting of journalists in Gaza, as over 100 have been killed in the bombing campaign. “Israel’s direct targeting and killing of journalists, arrests, intimidation and threats will not deter Al Jazeera,” the statement said.
Israel took action against Al Jazeera under a new law that gives the government the power to shut down any foreign news outlet. The ban lasts for 45 days but can be extended for further 45 day periods.
